A Link of Ivory
by Okaeri-Kairi
Summary: Nike always knew that marrying a king would be fraught with difficulties. Still, when she finally marries Livius I and becomes Queen of the Sun Kingdom at the age of seventeen, she hopes that their life together will be happy and worth the long wait. Unfortunately, what Nike and Livi don't realize is that their lives are about to be changed forever by forces outside their control.
1. A White Gown and A Silver Crown

Fifty steps left.

The sound of the music and five-hundred-seventy-three voices was deafening. All around her, Nike could hear people shouting her name and a cascade of flowers seemed to fall at her feet as she took each careful step forward. Her mouth felt dry, and it seemed hard to breathe despite the fact that they were outdoors and a gentle breeze was blowing.

Forty steps.

 _Watch the step here_ , she reminded herself, focusing entirely on the thick red carpet that had been laid especially for this ceremony. She gingerly climbed the remembered step, silently thanking Neil for forcing her to practice walking the route in heels. It would be a disaster if she tripped today, and Nike could imagine the awful scolding she was in for if she so much as tottered.

Thirty five more.

She found that it was easier to concentrate if she tried to drown out the noise, but that forced her to focus on her racing heartbeat instead. She instantly felt her hands grow sweaty as a familiar swooping sensation threatened to empty her stomach.

 _Breathe, Nike._

Twenty three steps left.

She felt a moment of pure, unadulterated panic as she ran over the plan in her head. She was supposed to reach the dais, kneel, and recite her piece. Then, she had to wait for all the formalities to end and finally address the crowd.

Just eleven left.

Her heart was pounding in her ears. Livius stood just ahead, waiting for her to take his hand. He looked as regal and handsome as ever, his clothes pressed to perfection, the medals of rank on his chest gleaming like golden stars in the morning light. A simple gold circlet rested on his silky black hair but even without it his royal blood would have been plain to anyone who saw his posture, straight as a rod, and the proud, sharp glint in his blue-gray eyes. He was smiling, but Nike could see how the corner of his mouth was twitching in nervousness as he extended his palm to her. She took it.

Seven steps. _His hand is shaking a little._

Five steps. _I hope I don't look as nervous as I feel._

Two steps. _Oh dear gods I'm going to forget everything! Neil is going to kill me!_

One. _Focus, you can do this!_

As one, the pair reached the dais and knelt at the foot of the presiding priest. Livi had gone out of his way to ensure the ceremony was conducted by a sympathizing member of the Sun Priests, and the result was that the Rani was rather young, with cropped golden hair and a rounded face. She vaguely wondered if he was much older than she, but her thought was cut short as she was ordered to look down.

"Behold! The Sun God incarnated kneels before you, you who are the chosen people of His kingdom!" The voice of the Rani carried far, and the surety of his tone helped to sooth Nike's nerves. Here was a man who believed what he preached, she thought.

"Through his mortal vessel, the Sun God has always ruled our mighty nation and led us to greatness. In his current incarnation, He has worked tirelessly to unite our world under His benevolent rule, and so it has come to pass that today we stand at the very center of the greatest empire our world has ever known. It is His wish that we honor Him and that His chosen people thrive so that the Sun Kingdom may bask in glory, forevermore!" A loud cheer erupted from the crowd, and Nike was sure that the roar could be heard throughout the entirety of Ginitarix. She closed her eyes, not in reverence to the Sun God she hardly knew, but to engrave the people's emotions in the deepest recess of her memory.

"For this purpose, the Sun God has sent us a princess from afar. Though not of his flesh and not of our blood, she was brought to us by His will, so that she may wed our king. She calls the rain to slake our thirst and water our fields, nurturing and protecting us at His bequest. She commands the winds and rains down lightning to strike our foes, defending our great nation from our enemies that would do us harm. Her powers are beyond the abilities of mortals, and surely bestowed upon her by the gods. It is no coincidence that we need water to live, as much as we need the warmth and light of the Sun. It is no coincidence that our king, the Sun God incarnate, would wed this princess on this very day, before his most beloved subjects. Children of the Sun, I beseech you! We have been called upon, and we must now witness this union, the union of the Sun and the Rain!"

The Rani finished his speech, and Nike could hear him breathing heavily with excitement. She hoped that he had successfully convinced anyone in the crowd who still had misgivings about her blood. There were those who considered her ability to call the rain heresy, and more than a few who thought that clouds covering the sun were an ill portent.

"My king, most blessed vessel of the Sun God himself, if you desire the Rain, anoint Princess Nike with your own hands. Once it is done and she recites the vow of royalty, you must place the crown upon her head."

She felt Livi rise from his kneeling position and could picture him accepting the small bowl from the Rani. She knew that it contained oil purified by the light of the sun, mixed with several drops of Livi's own blood. Her heart quickened once again.

She heard Livi stand over her, and she lifted her head to face him. His hands dipped into the bowl, and Nike closed her eyes again as his fingertips streaked across her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips.

"With my hands I bless you. I give you my divinity, my blood, and I mark you as my only equal. I offer my protection, my love as a mortal, and in exchange I wish you to love my people. With this promise I ask you, Nike Remercier, fourth princess of the Rain Duchy, to become my wife."

Nike opened her eyes. Livius had returned the bowl to the Rani, and was now holding a thin silver circlet in his hands. Livi had explained how traditionally, the Sun Queen wore a golden crown to match the king's, but that for Nike's case, it seemed more prudent to associate her with the rain as much as possible. Her ability was too conspicuous to ignore, so Livi's hope was that by accenting her uniqueness as a foil to the Sun, she could be thought of as a balancing agent. By presenting her as a half to a greater whole, she would increase the kingdom's sense of stability and worldliness. At least, that was the plan.

Taking a deep breath to stabilize herself, Nike began to recite from memory.

"By your hands I am blessed. I humbly take upon my flesh and my soul the sacred blood that flows in your veins. I offer in return the boundless love of one blessed by the gods, and pledge my heart to this kingdom. I promise you, Livius Orvitas Ifriquiya, that I will become your wife."

"My king, you may crown your queen."

The circlet fit perfectly atop Nike's coiffed brown hair, and when her eyes opened once more, she was a princess no longer.

* * *

Her relief at having performed her part without any major mishaps was so great that she scarcely noticed when the Rani officially proclaimed her Queen. Livius offered her his hand and pulled her up, but before she could turn to face the crowd, his lips met hers. For a second she panicked and thought that she had forgotten this part of the ceremony, but then she remembered that the rites didn't actually involve a kiss between the bride and groom.

 _Livi, you little-_

Before she could respond at all, he pulled away, and Nike specifically saw him lick the bloodied oil from his lips before he flashed her one of his roguish grins. The crowd burst into frenzied screams, and Nike was painfully aware that her face was flushing.

 _How many stolen kisses does that make by now?_

She would have loved to berate him, but she still had work to do.

Steeling herself, she turned to face the sea of people, now awaiting her word. _Last stretch, let's finish this._

"Children of the Sun God! I came to this kingdom three years ago to marry your king. I have seen your strength, your passion, and your bravery with my own eyes. I have grown to love this bright, warm country as I have come to love you. Just as you are the pride of my king, so too are you mine. I am honored and humbled to be chosen for you, by you. With Livius the First at my side, I promise you that the rain shall always fall favorably upon the chosen people of the Sun God!"

A thunderous applause broke out, and Nike caught Livi's eye. He smiled, nodding slightly to show his approval. He stepped forward.

"My children! I present to you, at long last, my beloved wife, Queen Nike of the Sun Kingdom!"

"Long live the Sun King, Livius the First! Long live the Sun Queen, Nike of the Rain!"

"Long live the Queen of the Rain! Long live the Sun Kingdom!"

It was done. Livius offered his hand once more and they began the procession back down the dais. She knew they still looked mismatched, her head a few good inches taller than his, and she knew better than to think that all who opposed the marriage had simply disappeared. She knew that although she remained popular among the masses, she and Livi were constantly in danger of assassination. She knew that Livi's plan, her place as the Sun's balancing opposite, was tenuous at best and lip service at its worst. But though she knew all this, she couldn't help her heart from soaring as she heard all the well wishers shout her name. She couldn't help feeling Livi's hand squeeze hers, couldn't help noticing how gentle his expression had become as he laughed and waved at his people.

 _Our people,_ she thought. _My people._

 _If there really is a Sun God, please, give me the strength to lead them._

The wind buffeted her white dress, the gold thread catching the light. She suddenly felt weightless.

 _Grandmother..._

She thought she could hear voices in the air, threading together and summoning the breeze to lift her spirits. Her family had been unable to attend, but as another gentle breath of air blew across her face, she was sure they were sending her their blessings across the sea.

She looked over the crowd, toward the eastern skyline. If she hadn't, Livi would have died.

" _LIVI!_ "

Her body reacted in a split second, her arms wrapping protectively over his slight frame as she lunged at him. They hit the ground just as a gunshot rang out over Ginitarix.


	2. A Forgotten Voice

An ominous silence fell upon the capital. Livius lay beneath Nike's weight, shocked into silence. His heart was hammering in his throat, and for one terrible moment he thought she had taken the bullet herself.

" _Nike!"_

The strangled cry was enough to jump-start a panic. All around Livi, people began to scream and run, and in seconds his periphery was obscured by the towering forms of the Royal Guard.

"Your Majesties!" A tall, dark haired woman parted the guard as she rushed toward the king and queen. She was wearing what was usually considered to be masculine attire, her noble's shirt cuffed at the wrist and a pair of dark pantaloons accenting her already rather dashing figure. A rapier's scabbard hung at her waist. She wore a short cape, embroidered with a red sun and Livius' standard, a golden lion, just below.

"Violetta, quick, help me check her pulse!"

The handsome woman knelt at the queen's side and helped shift her body so that Livius could get free. Violetta pressed her fingers to Nike's throat.

"She's fine, Your Majesty, she's just fainted from shock. Now hurry, we need to get you both out of here!"

 _Thank goodness,_ he thought, the knot in his stomach loosening slightly.

"I'll carry her," he offered, but Violetta shook her head and instructed one of the guards to assist him.

"You need to move _now_ , Your Majesty. I'm going to have the Royal Guard secure the perimeter, get to the carriage in the courtyard before the assassin gets another shot." Before he could reply, she was running off in the opposite direction, barking orders to every soldier in her immediate vicinity. The soldier she had assigned to Livius pulled one of Nike's arms around his shoulder while Livi took the other, and together they heaved her down the remaining length of carpet as fast as they could, the armed retinue blocking them from public sight.

They were almost clear of the ceremonial grounds when Nike began to stir.

"Urgh," she groaned, and Livi shouted at the Guard to stop.

"Nike, can you hear me?"

"Mm, Livi? What happened? Are you okay? W-where's the assassin?"

"I'm fine, but we don't know where he is. We have to get out of here, Nike. We'll only put ourselves and the people in danger if we stay. Can you walk?"

"I think so," she replied, pulling her arm from the guard's shoulder. She took a tentative step forward and frowned when she wobbled. Before Livi could suggest someone carry her, she kicked off her heels and chucked them to the side. "There, that's better for running," she said, satisfied. Livi half expected to see her tear her wedding gown to make it easier to move in, but she simply grabbed his hand and ordered the Royal Guard to keep going.

"Where's Neil?" she asked as they ran.

"I dunno, we haven't seen him."

"Bard?"

"He was standing with Violetta but when the shot rang out I lost track of him."

"And Nee-san?" Nike asked, addressing Violetta by an old nickname. No matter how often Livi reminded her that Violetta was Captain of the Royal Guard now and that calling her Nee-san wouldn't do, Nike kept forgetting.

"She went back to look for the assassin with the rest of the Royal Guard."

"Your Majesties," the forward guard called as they crossed into the courtyard. "Your carriage is here, quickly!"

In less than a minute, the they had been all but crammed into the carriage, one of the guards taking the reins himself. "Hiya!" he shouted, and the horses began to gallop back toward the Royal Palace.

Nike and Livi tentatively looked out the window and shared a sigh of relief.

"I thought something might happen, but it still caught me off guard," Livius said, frowning. "I was careless, the dissidents have been so quiet that I thought they wouldn't dare show themselves at such a heavily guarded event. I'm glad I stationed an extra deployment of soldiers next to the ceremonial grounds, just in case."

"I hope so. When I saw the sunlight glint off the barrel of the pistol, I felt my blood run cold," she said, her voice hoarse. She closed her eyes tightly, as though willing away the image of the silver revolver, held firmly in a large, disembodied white glove... "I hope no one got hurt."

Livi leaned forward to hold her hands. They were clammy and cold.

"I didn't see any bodies or injured people. I can't be sure, but I think everyone made it out alright. Violetta has probably found the culprit by now."

Nike bit her lip.

"Still, when I think how close I came to losing you..."

"I'm here, I'm okay," he said, soothingly. He lifted one of her hands and pressed a kiss into her palm. "See? Nice and warm."

"Livi..."

"I can't even count how many times you've saved me from being killed, though. In all honesty, I'm far more worried about you." He sighed and propped his elbow on the windowsill. Resting his cheek on the back of his hand, he fixed Nike with a calculating look. "If I asked you not to jump into danger, would you actually listen?"

"Not if it means I'm jumping in to shove you out of the way."

"Thought so." He made a huffing sound and tapped his foot in mild annoyance. "Oh well, I suppose if I had wanted a docile and obedient wife, I wouldn't have married you." He sighed.

"You realize that by saying that, you're giving me a free pass to be the exact opposite of docile and obedient at any time, right?"

"Since when did you need a pass? You're already the epitome of uncooperative and rebellious." He threw up his hands in mock exasperation. Nike laughed, but she was still looking rather pale. Even in the relative darkness of the carriage, Livi could see the forlorn and worried expression in her bright green eyes.

 _What can I say to take her mind off it?_

They both knew that being in physical danger was an everyday part of being born into royalty. Even Nike, in her relatively isolated and peaceful country, had been raised to practice awareness and caution, or so she claimed. Since she'd journeyed to the Sun Kingdom, he had no doubt that she'd had to adjust to the higher level of danger fairly quickly.

Despite the threat to their lives, however, it wasn't something they could afford to dwell on. Life went on, especially when one was in charge of an empire.

 _I just wish we didn't have to deal with this today, of all days._

He idly twitched the curtains, allowing small rays of light to shine through the window.

"At least it's a beautiful day," he said.

"Mm, it's just getting started too."

 _That's an opening if I've ever seen one,_ he thought, jumping on the chance.

"Good thing too, our first day as a married couple shouldn't end on such a sour note, though it really shouldn't end at _all_ before nighttime. Don't you think so, my dear wife?" He grinned, knowing she would blush at his implication.

Right on cue, he saw her cheeks burn red and she covered her face with her hands.

"Geez, you're so embarrassing, Livi."

"What, did you think being married to me was going to be in name only?" he teased, leaning forward to pull her hands away. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, I've been waiting for three years for you to call me your husband, and for all the _privileges_ therefore attached."

"You're in-incorrigible!"

"Guilty as charged," he chuckled. _Oh no, this is too much fun._

"Idiot."

"Bumpkin."

"Sadist."

" _Old_."

At that, Nike burst out laughing.

 _"Old?"_ she choked out between fits of laughter. "If that's the best insult you can come up with, I'm pretty sure I win."

"Who said we were keeping score?" Livi said, unable to hold back a chuckle. Nike's smile was always infectious.

"Don't we always?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Fair enough."

"Idioooot," she repeated, looking pleased with herself. _Cute._

"Well, I guess this sort of thing is nice too," he said, leaning back against the cushioned seat. "It's nice to know we can still mess around like this."

"Mm," she said. Her hair was coming undone, loose strands curling around her face. Her crown was getting tangled in it, and when her head turned to look out the window, her earrings clinked pleasantly. She had a smudge of dirt on her cheek, probably from when she fell, and her dress was wrinkled from all the running. She looked more at home running through a forest than sitting on a throne, and Livi thought he'd never seen her look prettier.

"Nike."

"Hmm?" She turned back to look at him, her eyes dancing as the carriage bounced over the cobbled road. He reached out to wipe the dirt from her cheek. His thumb brushed it away, but once it was gone, he didn't remove his hand.

"Livi?"

"Did you know? Even though you're a total mess right now and don't look like a queen at all..." ("Hey!") "To me, you look incredibly beautiful."

Her cheek grew warm under his palm and she tried to avoid catching his eye.

"Don't say stuff like that..." She fidgeted and he felt his heart pound at her innocent gesture.

"Don't look away," he said, gently lifting her chin. "I really have been waiting three years to marry you. Are you still going to keep me waiting?"

"Moron, how can I keep you waiting if I already married you?"

Her lips felt as wonderful as cold spring water on a hot day.

* * *

"Talea!"

A rather short girl standing in the courtyard started at the sound of her name. She blinked her large, dark eyes and turned her equally dark head, looking for the speaker. She was wearing a ragged old blanket over her shoulders like everyone else gathered outside the ceremonial grounds. It created a sharp contrast with her obviously fine clothes, pressed neatly and made of expensive silks and velvets. Her feet were bare, however, and though her long black hair had been pinned elegantly earlier, it was now threatening to cascade over her shoulders in a frazzled mess.

"Laia! Father!"

Two figures detached themselves from a new group of arrivals to join her. The shorter of the two, a young woman in a dark green dress, wasted no time in embracing her fiercely.

"Oh, thank goodness you're okay! I was so worried when we lost you," she said. Laia was as unlike Talea as it was possible for sisters to be. Tall, red haired and green eyed, the older girl was seven years her sister's elder and at 23, every bit as headstrong as the mother she so closely resembled. On the other hand, Talea's dark coloring and somber demeanor came from her father, who was now frowning at his youngest daughter's appearance.

"What in blazes happened to your shoes, girl?" he asked, more of a bark than a question.

"O-oh, after everyone started running, someone pushed me from behind and I fell... My heel broke and I couldn't run with my shoes like that so I threw them away. I'm sorry, father," she replied quickly, bowing her head in disgrace. She knew that running for her life was no excuse for looking less than her best, not in her family.

"Absolutely scandalous," he growled, snatching the worn blanket from her shoulders. "Disgraceful! Is that any way for the daughter of an Earl to behave?!" He jabbed a finger at his own breast, where the Dainer family crest, a fox resting its front paws on the hilt of a sword, was engraved on a golden brooch. "Fix your hair, girl, _now._ "

"Father! She was all alone and scared! Anyone would be after a gun was fired in a crowd!" Laia argued, gesturing at all the people around them, huddled together with their families as the Royal Guard made their way around the courtyard to interrogate them each in turn. "Worse, the assassin was _right_ behind us! Everyone ran for it!"

Talea repressed a shudder as she remembered the sudden, savage crack of a pistol being fired just feet away from her. She was so close to Princess Nike (' _Queen_ Nike,' she corrected herself) that in any normal circumstance she would have have rushed up to check on her Lady's safety. She was ashamed to recall the animalistic fear that gripped her when she saw the king and queen fall, and nothing less than horrified at her own cowardice when she turned tail and ran as fast as she could, away from the assassin and away from her lord and lady.

 _A fine courtier I am,_ she thought bitterly. Her father's voice cut through her recollection like a whip.

" _Silence_ , I'll not be talked back to. Talea is a noblewoman and it is her duty to appear as such. _As is yours_ , Laia. You may be a married woman now, but you are still a Dainer and my daughter, no matter what ridiculous name your Ocean Kingdom husband has given you. _Behave_."

Talea saw Laia's fists clench in anger, but even her stormy sister knew better than to push the issue further. She merely glared at her father, tight lipped.

"Didn't you hear me, Talea?! I said _fix your hair, now."_ Talea rushed to pull the pin from her hair, lest she provoke her father's fury.

A soldier called out to the family next to theirs. Captain Violetta had set up a series of tables at the edge of the courtyard, near the woods to the north. One by one, each group was being interrogated, their accounts written down in full by a group of scribes as the Captain presided over the inquiry. Soldiers were currently patrolling the area, making it impossible for anyone to return to the city or to re-enter the amphitheater-like ceremonial grounds.

"What a fine mess, all of this," Lord Dainer said, his tone heavy with disdain. "How dare they keep nobility waiting with the masses?"

Talea and Laia stayed silent. Both had experienced rather severe whippings for interrupting him when he was in a bad mood.

"It's a mockery of our heritage, an insult!" The girls caught each others' eye, knowing that their father was working himself up into one of his rages. It was no secret in the Dainer household that Lord Dainer held very specific views about the king's policies on the abolition of the caste system.

"And to have such little security at the royal wedding! This is all the queen's fault, I'm sure." It was even less of a secret that he despised Princess Nike.

"She's an upstart! How dare the Rain Duchy send their _fourth_ princess?! And she's so common, hardly royalty at all!" was one of his favorite opening lines whenever the princess was brought up at dinner.

"It's a scandal, the way she behaves," Lady Dainer would supply, sniffling as if the princess had done her some great personal wrong.

"If it wasn't bad enough that the king does whatever he likes, we now have to deal with this ridiculous little girl as well!" he usually continued.

"They say blood tells, dear," Lady Dainer would hint, starting her husband on the equally upsetting topic of the king's commoner mother and the fact that King Livius' siblings had been passed over in his favor, despite his being youngest and of the lowest birth.

Talea never said anything during these heated discussions, but she liked to think that if she were a bit braver, she could point out to her parents the many times that Princess Nike had been kind and friendly to her at court. She may have even tried to explain that though the king could be merciless when it came to his laws, he always spent time and effort to ensure they were fair. She would have pointed out all the good things they had accomplished together over the last three years, but unfortunately, Talea didn't have the courage to do any of that. Instead, she spooned her soup quietly, reminding herself about the bruises and scars her father had left on her back over the years.

Luckily, Lord Dainer had better sense than to berate the king in public, so Talea and her sister drew a quiet breath of relief when he decided to complain about the Royal Guard and their lack of order instead.

"These incompetent fools," he growled, loud enough that anyone could hear. "You'd think they'd have found the damn culprit already!"

Talea was glad when a soldier arrived to escort them to Captain Violetta.


	3. A Careless Promise

"Someone get me Lord Benisius immediately," Livi snapped.

As soon as the carriage arrived at the palace gates, a slew of officials rushed up to speak to the king and queen. The newlyweds had hardly stepped out of the carriage when Livi began barking commands.

"Renato, go to the kitchens and tell the staff that the reception is canceled for today. Lanra, get both of us a change of clothes, something comfortable. We're going back as soon as we clear all the bureaucratic mess."

"Yes, Your Majesty." One of Nike's maids curtsied and hurried through the main doors of the castle as one of Livius' assistants rushed off for the kitchens.

"Summon the ambassadors for the Ocean, Sand, and Cloud Kingdoms. And get the one from the Rain Duchy as well," he counted off the important guests one by one as they made their way up the stairs and through the hall. Another servant set off to do as he was bid. "Has Bard returned from the grounds yet?"

"Not yet, Your Majesty," one of the chamberlains answered as he tried to keep up with Livi's furious pace.

"What about Neil?" Nike asked. She was close behind Livi, her bare feet making a loud smacking sound on the cold stone floors as the group hurried to the king's office.

"No, but we received word from him via messenger. He told us to prepare for your return so we've brought all the relevant documents to Your Highness' study."

"Arrest warrant?"

"Yes, milord."

"Forms for deploying more soldiers to the capital?"

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Good, I want the castle secured by nightfall." Livi pushed open the door of his study, where two desks were sitting at an angle to one another. The larger of the two, a handsome chestnut piece, was situated at the back of the room with the only window right behind it. The other was off to the side, and it was smaller, covered in a mountain of untouched books and paper, a testament to Nike's distaste for scholarship. A fairly sizeable library covered most of the walls, and a tea table and chairs were placed in the middle of the room for private audiences. Livi made for his own desk and, as a habit, looked out the open window. He kept it open at all times for the golden bird he'd imprinted with a few years earlier and it often swooped in and out of the office at its leisure. Today it was out, probably hunting, so Livi reached for his pair of reading glasses and examined the documents already on the table.

"Sororu," he called, and a small boy with blonde hair scrambled to the front of the group of officials.

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"I'd like a new inkstone, and kindly bring me the new parchment we ordered last week. It should be in the storeroom down the hall."

"Yes sir." Sororu bowed and was off.

"Nike, half of these are yours to go over," Livi continued, leafing through the sheets. "I know you hate paperwork, but we have to finish this quickly."

"It's fine, just hand them over already," she insisted, already irritated at the mere thought of having to go over documents. She took the sheets Livi handed her and sat at her own desk, dipping her quill into a small pot of ink as she began to read.

As she slowly filled out the forms, Livi continued to call out orders. Nike, not for the first time, was impressed with his ability to handle so much at once. When the ambassadors and Lord Benisius arrived, he singlehandedly dealt with their concerns and suggestions without once looking up from his documents. He never stopped writing, even when Lanra finally arrived with the change of clothes.

"Your clothing, Your Highnesses," she announced, her face completely covered by what looked like a mountain of clothes as she stood in the doorway.

"Leave them on the chaise, Lanra. And can you get us something to eat? Something quick."

Nike sighed and leaned back to stretch as the overworked maid, white cap askew, went rushing off again.

"Done," she said, piling the papers together.

"You just signed your name without reading them, didn't you?"

"Sh-shut up." She blushed, confirming her guilt.

"It's fine, I purposely gave you the ones that only needed a signature anyway. I haven't been living with you for this long for nothing." He didn't look up, but she saw him shrug smugly.

"I don't know whether to be impressed at your foresight or offended at your lack of faith in me," she frowned, crossing her arms.

"How about you just feel happy that I know you this well?"

"Yeah, right, in your dreams."

"What did I ever do to deserve such cruelty, dear wife?"

"For starters, you're a notorious flatterer," she said, handing him the paperwork. "Now get out for a few minutes, I have to get dressed."

"Just close the door, it's not like I've never seen you in your underwear before," he said, still not taking his eyes off his papers.

"Don't say it in such a suggestive way!"

"What's suggestive about it? Don't I sleep next to you every night? Quit being so difficult, I don't exactly have time to wait in the hall right now."

"Ugh, fine," she said, trying not to sound panicked.

It was true enough that Livi saw her in her chemise every night, and he often walked into her room when her maids were in the middle of dressing her regardless. Even so, Nike still felt self-conscious of the fact that she was now a married woman, and she knew their bedroom wasn't just for sleep anymore. She wasn't sure she was ready to accept the implications of that relationship, especially since Livi was so young.

Unfortunately, she didn't have much of a say in the matter, and neither did Livius. Though he was clearly looking forward to it, the king and queen's wedding night was a matter of state, not love. A royal marriage had to be consummated to be binding and legal, and it was of utmost importance that the Sun Priests didn't have an excuse to annul the match.

Nike understood this, and she would be lying if she said she was completely dreading it, but she still felt incredibly embarrassed as she removed each piece of clothing in the office. Layer by layer, the wedding dress slowly came off, and despite herself, Nike felt a sense of immense relief as the heavy garment finally pooled at her feet. It had been hot and unpleasant to run in, and she was not sorry that she wouldn't have to wear it again.

She pulled the crown out of her messy hair and reached behind her back to pull the strings of her corset, only to find them completely stuck. Lanra and Sunya had tightened the laces as far as they would go to prevent her from slouching during the ceremony, which only added to her anxiety and irritation as she fought with the knot.

"Need a hand?"

"No."

"Don't be stubborn. You've been muttering under your breath for the last few minutes. Trouble with your corset?" He looked up, a vague look of amusement in his eyes.

"Hmph, I can do it myself." She gave the laces another hearty tug and gasped for breath when it had the opposite effect.

"C'mon, let me help. I'm not going to take advantage of you or anything; even I'm not desperate enough to undress you in my office when anyone can walk in at any moment. Lanra will be back soon anyway, so just let me loosen it for you."

"Ugh, okay, okay." She sighed, giving in.

He removed his glasses and stood up. As he made his way around the desk, she stalked over to one of the chairs and sat down with her back to him. She pulled her frazzled hair over her shoulder to allow him access to the tight lacing.

"Hmm, they really went all out on this knot," he muttered, examining the damage. "Just give me a minute, alright?"

She tried to tell herself that she was feeling breathless because of the tightness of the corset as he worked. She wasn't very successful.

"I think I've almost got it... just a bit more..." He gave the laces one last pull. "There," he said, and she felt a wonderful sense of freedom as the corset slid off, allowing her chest to expand properly once again.

"Thank you," she replied gratefully. She turned toward him, but he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, now bare but for the thin straps of her negligee. His chin was just barely able to rest on the top of her head. _"Livi!"_

"Sorry, I won't do anything else, I just want to hug you for a minute, okay?"

She was painfully aware of her heart pounding in her ears as each second ticked by.

A knock came at the door.

"Your Majesty? I have your meals."

Livi bent to kiss Nike's cheek and pulled away. She felt her face flush.

"Thank you Lanra, you can come in," he called, walking back to his desk.

The maid pushed the door open and entered, balancing a plate on each hand. She placed them on the tea table and automatically reached to pick up Nike's discarded garments.

"Oh, don't bother, I'm not done yet," Nike mumbled, trying to regain her composure.

"Very well, milady. Shall I brush your hair?" she reached into her apron pocket and pulled out a fine brush with shiny, black bristles.

"You carry a brush around with you all day?" Livi asked, confused.

"Oh yes, Your Highness. Mikia, Sunya, and I always have a brush on hand. We never know when milady will jump into a river or make a tornado or something."

Livi made a choked sound and Nike caught him trying to stifle a laugh.

"Shut up," she groaned, covering her face.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, it's just, pff, bwahaha!" he gave up and hit the table with his hand. "That's so like you! Ahaha!"

"Just... brush my hair please, Lanra," Nike said, trying to hide her reddened face as she pulled the new dress over her underthings.

"Yes prin- I mean, yes, Your Highness."

* * *

Less than four hours later, Nike and Livi were ready to fall over in exhaustion. Wolfing down their meager lunch, they had wrapped up the pressing paperwork and rushed back to the ceremonial grounds. After a long day of revising the security of the courtyard and reviewing the guest testimonies, they ordered a sweep of the grounds themselves, led by Livi himself. They found the assassin's pistol discarded in a corner of the amphitheater but not a trace of its owner.

Nike spent most of her first afternoon as queen darting from group to group of nobles and commoners alike, helping carry the injured to the doctor's tent and overseeing the distribution of provisions as the inquiry dragged on hour after hour. By three o'clock, she was ready to crawl into a dark, quiet hole and sleep for the rest of eternity.

"Hang in there, Nike." Bardwin had wandered over after finishing a discussion with one of the scribes. He gave his nephew's wife a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She was carrying a box full of fruit to a group at the far end of the courtyard and looked as though she might drop it at any second.

"I'm trying," she said hoarsely. She suppressed a yawn and tried to straighten up as she walked.

"Want me to take that for you?"

"No, if you wanna help, go get another one from the provisioner. I promised to get these to that baker and her family, they have three children with them."

"If you insist, princess. But it's strange enough for a queen to be doing physical labor, much less in a dangerous situation like this. Livi asked you to stay near the guard at all times."

"Livi is in danger himself, and I'm not just queen for the sake of looking pretty. It's my job to help my people. Besides, I can take care of myself," she called behind her.

"That we know," she heard him reply as she walked away, and she was aware he was referring to the thin sword she wore on her hip.

For years, she had insisted she didn't need to learn how to use a sword or dagger for self defense. She could take care of immediate danger quickly enough with her rain summoning and it had never seemed like a priority. After an incident that temporarily cost her her powers, however, she had changed her mind and thrown herself into learning swordsmanship, not just for self-defense, but for fighting. Violetta herself had trained her, and she'd become fairly proficient. She hadn't needed to use her skills since her powers eventually returned, but she took to wearing a sword whenever she wasn't at a public event, much to Livi's chagrin.

"What's the point of being elegant and graceful during ceremonies if you're just gonna run around with a leather belt and sword over your dresses?" He had asked, exasperated, when she had shown up for an audience with her sword buckled at her hip.

"For the last time, you little brat," (Here she had hit him over the head with her fist, ensuing a short but furious scuffle.) "The _point_ is staying alive and being able to protect you and myself. What good is a princess or queen who just sits there and does nothing?"

Eventually Livi gave in to her choice, and after careful consideration decided her safety was more important than whatever meager appearances she managed to put up. He didn't say that, though.

"Everyone knows you're a wild thing anyway," he conceded grumpily some days later. "You're always out in the capital on your own, running around in plain clothes, doing whatever you please. I can't stop you now, and I sure as hell can't stop you when we're married, so do whatever you like."

She smiled at the memory. _Ah Livi, you're never honest with yourself_.

"Nike!" She jumped with a start, very nearly dropping the wooden box. She swore and looked up to see Livi with Violetta in tow.

"We're done for now, the guard is releasing everyone. Let's go home," he announced, looking much less tired than she was sure he felt.

"Oh thank the gods, I need to eat," she replied, her stomach growling angrily.

"Shut it, I don't want to think about food or I'll start crying," he muttered just low enough for her to hear. She giggled.

"Okay, I'll meet you at the carriage in a moment, I'll just hand these over first." She broke into a jog, sudden adrenaline pumping through her as she relished the fact that they were _finally_ going home for the day. She gave the provisions to the baker and was just starting to run back when her name was called again.

"Your Highness, Nike-sama!" A girl about her age was calling to her from the crowd, and Nike recognized the voice.

"Ah, Talea!" The girl disentangled herself from a knot of people and gracefully fell into a curtsy at Nike's feet.

"Congratulations, Your Highness! I wish you and His Majesty a long and happy life together," she said in a clear, careful voice.

"Thank you, but for the thousandth time, you don't have to be so formal with me!" Nike replied. "I'm sorry everyone had to be held for questioning, but I'm still glad you came. We should have put up more security in the first place..."

"It's not your fault, Your Grace, I'm just glad you're both safe." She shuffled her feet slightly and kept her head bowed, but Nike didn't pay it much heed. The black-haired girl was one of her newer courtiers and Nike had taken an immense liking to her. She was a nice girl, and though she dressed richly she was rather simple compared to her spoiled peers. Nike liked that about her and wished she wasn't quite so shy. No matter how much Nike strove to be a friend instead of a mistress, the noblewoman insisted on keeping a professional distance.

"I'm happy to see you're doing well too," Nike replied sincerely. "Your family made it out safely?"

"Yes, milady. I just wanted to give you my well-wishes. And my farewells."

"Thank you, Talea. I'll let Livi know too. I'm grateful for your kindness. I know your father requested you return home after the wedding, but you'll be sorely missed at the palace."

"Not at all milady, I'm the one who is grateful to you. It was a great honor to act as your retainer, if only for a short time. I'm afraid my father is sending me abroad for the foreseeable future."

"Mm, I heard about that. I'll miss your company. Please take care." Nike gave her a friendly hug, and didn't notice when the shorter girl stiffened in shock.

"Nike! Let's go!" Livi called from across the courtyard.

"Oh whoops, that's my cue. Again, thank you so much, Talea. I promise you will always find a position at court if you ever feel like coming home. Take care!" she said, already moving back toward the royal carriage. With one last bright smile and a flash of brown hair dancing in the wind, she was off, leaving Talea alone in the crowd.


	4. The Morning Sun

Nike blinked the sleepiness from her eyes lazily, her cheek pressed to something warm. She noted the slow rising and falling of Livi's chest, the sound of his breathing loud in her ear. Half-formed thoughts about how nice his scent was floated through her head.

She couldn't remember what day it was. There was sunlight filtering through the window, which suddenly struck her as odd. Livi was almost always out of bed before she was, and definitely gone by the time the sun was up. Neil had strict orders to fetch the king before dawn every morning, so she usually woke to an empty bed. Yet there he was, fast asleep, and she was definitely resting her head on his shoulder.

She reached over and poked at his face. "Livi, wake up."

"Mmm." He frowned in his sleep.

"Livi, it's late. You need to wake up."

"No... not that one..."

" _Livi,"_ she repeated, more loudly. He groaned and turned over, wrapping his arm over her waist.

"Nike, you're being loud," he muttered. A light snore escaped him. She pinched his nose.

He thrashed and sat up, pulling his arm out from under her. Eyes wide, he looked around frantically for his attacker.

"GAH! What the hell?! Wha... Nike?! Did you do that?"

"You weren't waking up," she shrugged, sitting crosslegged next to him, her nightgown draped haphazardly over her shoulder.

"And why the hell are you trying to wake me up?"

"It's late."

"So?"

"So don't you have things to do today?"

He groaned and flopped back onto bed, pulling his pillow over his head.

"No," came the muffled response. "I told Neil to schedule a day off for me after that _fiasco_ of a week. And you just ruined the best part!"

"You didn't tell me you were taking a day off. Besides, I didn't know you liked to sleep in," she lied. In truth, she knew he took naps during the day to make up for his busy schedule cutting into his sleep. When she first met him he had to take drugs in order to rest, but now he seemed to fall asleep on his own just fine. Perhaps a little too well, though he didn't like people to know that he took naps like a child.

"I just forgot to tell you," he said through his pillow. " And I don't, unless I've just been through a week of hell; and since I _have_ , I'd like to at least sleep until noon."

Nike made a small noise of disbelief; Livi, sleeping till noon? Ha! Still, he had a point. The last week really had been a page out of a nightmare.

After the incident at the wedding, several emergencies suddenly popped up. One of the main dams to the north began to crack and required a hasty and difficult repair job to protect the drinking water supply. A princess from the Cloud Kingdom who spoke none of the international tongue went missing on her way to Ginitarix, nearly sparking an international incident until she was found, completely lost without her translator, two cities away. Half the castle staff caught the flu, forcing those who were spared, including the king and queen, to double the amount of work they had to do. On top of that, the wedding reception had been held two days late, and it was every bit as tiring and draining as Nike had been dreading. The actual party aside, she was required to make several appearances throughout the capital, including speeches, promenades, and summoning the rain. She especially hated doing the latter unless it was necessary, but Livi had convinced her to do it just this once, as part of the campaign to legitimize her claim to the throne.

All of this was made worse by the fact that the assassin had not been caught, which meant that Nike and Livi were under constant surveillance, even at home. The only exception was their bedroom, and even then there was a full guard posted outside the door and beneath the window throughout the day. It was stifling not to have any personal space, so it was no wonder that Livi had scheduled a rare day off.

"So you're just going to sleep all day?" she asked.

"Not _anymore_ ," he groaned and threw the pillow at her. "And why the heck are you so damned energetic this morning? Usually I can't even get you to open your eyes until Neil comes with the cold water."

"I'm not energetic," she said, failing to catch the pillow. It hit her in the face, but she chose to ignore it. "I'm just so tired that I don't think I can rest anymore." She knew she had shadows under her eyes that hadn't disappeared in days, and her whole body ached from running around all over the capital.

He blinked at her slowly and grabbed her arm suddenly. "You woke me up, so take responsibility."

"W-what..?!" She blushed, thinking about the delayed wedding night that still hadn't taken place. Every night since the ceremony they'd all but collapsed into bed and were sound asleep in minutes.

"I can see the indecent thoughts on your face, Nike," he said, a sly grin crossing his lips when he noticed her expression. "But no, unfortunately I'm too tired for that, so hurry up and be my pillow already." He pulled her to his chest and held her tightly.

"Hey! Don't I get a say in this?"

"Nuh uh, now shhhh, it's sleep time. And don't move so much," he complained. "You always end up hitting me in the face."

"You deserve it. Most of the time."

"You're probably right, but not now, kay? Livius needs sleep," he murmured into her hair.

"Livius needs to stop being so selfish."

"After he wakes up, princess. After he wakes up."

* * *

Something was wrong, but Talea couldn't quite put her finger on it. The Dainer household was eerily quiet, and though it wasn't a particularly lively manor in any circumstance, there seemed to be precious few servants wandering the corridors. She hadn't seen her father for at least two days, and though she was due to leave for the Ocean Kingdom by the end of the week, she hadn't seen anything resembling the bustling preparations that had preceded her sister's move to the Ocean court.

She voiced her concerns to her mother one evening over dinner, but the older woman just shrugged and told her to do as she was told. _That's got to be the most hypocritical advice she's ever given. She would have reconsidered hiring her old nanny for us if she knew all the stories the old lady told us about her less than obedient youth..._

She spent several days just wandering the grounds, reading or working on her languages. It was dreadfully dull; though she often kept to herself, she had grown used to the perpetual company of the several dozen courtiers that lived in or regularly visited the castle. There was always something interesting to do at court, whether it was watching the latest scandal unfold, having full access to the king's public library, partaking in an event set up by the nobility, going horseback riding with the other court ladies, or just enjoying the royal gardens and listening to the princess singing through the open window of her bedroom in the afternoon.

At home, she was expected to be quiet and refined at all times, which meant that the few freedoms she had become accustomed to at court were basically nonexistent. No one laughed heartily in the Earl's household. No one told bawdy jokes, or played sports, or went out into the capital at their leisure. No one ran around barefoot like the Princess of Rain (or occasionally the king himself), no one practiced archery or swordsmanship or held contests of any kind, and no one was interested in what the youngest daughter of the Earl of Ferana had to say or think.

Though she'd never felt happy at home, she felt more stifled than usual. She had only been at court for a little under a year, and it had baffled her when her father, who had insisted she go into the princess' service in the first place, suddenly demanded she come home immediately after the royal wedding. She was equally confused when he said she would be going abroad; her sister had been sent abroad several years ago, but that was with the intention of marrying into the Ocean nobility. Talea was expected, as the youngest, to make a less prestigious match with someone from the Sun court. She wondered if she had somehow disappointed her father by not encouraging anyone's advances over the last year and mentally berated herself for being so aloof.

Still, the days passed and Talea heard no mention of the upcoming trip from her parents. The manor in Ferana remained cold and quiet, and when the day before the move arrived, Talea was feeling apprehensive.

* * *

Not surprisingly, when Livius woke, Nike had somehow managed to disentangle herself from his embrace and her arm was inches away from smacking him in the head if she made any sudden movements.

 _How does she even get herself into these weird positions?_ he asked himself, surveying the ridiculous angle of her body as she snored away peacefully. He yawned and blinked, propping himself up lazily on his arm. Gazing at his wife's blissful expression, he couldn't help wanting to laugh. To say that she took up the majority of the bed was an understatement. Livi often found himself shocked awake in the middle of the night when he nearly rolled off the edge of the mattress, a real feat when one slept in the king's own canopy. Nike unconsciously spread herself out, her limbs bent at strange angles, and even occasionally stole his blanket. She was a real terror in the sheets, and not in the way he wanted.

 _She's cute though_ , he thought, _I just really wish she wouldn't kick me_. As much as he liked to complain, though, he never felt as relaxed as he did when she was sleeping next to him. Which was why he had taken to sleeping with her from the start; at first it was to tease her, but soon he found he didn't need drugs to sleep when she was there, and before he knew it heading to her room had become part of his routine. Under normal circumstances, it would have been improper for an unmarried couple to share a bed, even if they were engaged, but Livi was secretly thankful that his age let him get away with it for so long. It was the only time he had thought it was nice, being younger than his betrothed.

She muttered something in her sleep, and he saw she was drooling slightly.

"Ugh, c'mon, seriously?" he said aloud, and reached to gently wipe the corner of her mouth. Her nose twitched but she continued to sleep. _Am I married or am I keeping ANOTHER pet?_ He snorted. He probably shouldn't compare them; his bird was needy but much more refined now that it wasn't a helpless chick. On the other hand, growing older only made Nike care less about appearances. It was only another thing that he'd grown to love about her.

He pinched her nose shut.

"AGHH!"

Revenge really was sweet.

* * *

Talea had never felt as unsettled as she did that morning. Not a single article of clothing had been packed for her, and apart from her satchel of books, nothing seemed prepared whatsoever for her departure the next morning. More worrying was the fact that she couldn't track down a single maid to help her, much less her mother. She didn't even dare approach her father's study, so she pulled out her trunk and started to fill it on her own.

According to Laia, the Ocean Kingdom was very cool year round, so Talea began to pack accordingly, pulling dresses, chemises, corsets, hats, and scarves from her boudoir as she went. She became so engrossed in her work that she scarcely noticed how strange it was that the maids hadn't come to get her for breakfast.

She packed sketchbooks, pencils, shoes, her favorite brush, her sewing kit, anything she thought she might need or want. She had no idea how long she was expected to stay abroad, so she decided to err on the side of caution. Before long her trunk was full to the brim. Still, the maids did not come. It was past noon when she finally realized she was hungry.

 _How did it get so late?_ She frowned and opened her door, checking both sides of the hall for a servant, anyone. The corridor was empty. _Where is everyone?_

She dressed hurriedly and as tidily as she could without help. She was aware her corset wasn't tight enough to pass inspection and that her hair looked less like a bun and more like a disheveled plant, but she was too unnerved to worry about the minutiae.

She did not cross a single person as she made her way downstairs. When she reached the kitchen, it was silent and there were no rich smells to indicate that anything had been made at all that day. The dining room was immaculate, but no silverware had been put down for lunch and the fire was out. A quick search of the servant's quarters and the drawing room yielded similar results. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing on end.

Her mother was not in her room. She wasn't in the library, the parlor, or even the ballroom. A quick glance out the window told Talea that no one was out on the grounds either, not even the gardeners. She tried to assuage her rising panic.

 _Maybe they've all gone out... But... wouldn't they have informed me? And why would all the servants be gone too? What's going on?_

The last place she had to check was her father's study. She was forbidden from ever entering without permission, but this seemed enough of an emergency to warrant at least a quick look. If her father was there, he might be able to answer her questions, and if he wasn't, she could at least be sure that no one was home at all.

She crept up the stairs to the second floor, her heart thumping in her throat. The corridor to the study was as empty as the rest of the manor. She paused at the first door, half convinced this was a terrible idea and that she should go back to her room immediately. _I have to be sure_. She took another step. And another.

She was almost standing in front of the door when she heard a voice. It was her mother's.

 _Oh thank goodness, she's here._ She visibly relaxed and raised her hand to knock and request permission to enter. The sound of her name stopped her cold.

"Talea is crucial, without her the plan fails." It was a man's voice. Her father's.

"Yes, but how are we sure she'll cooperate? She spent too long at court, it's made her... sympathetic. What if she refuses?" She didn't recognize the speaker; it sounded like a man, but not anyone she recognized.

"She _will_ obey, or she knows the consequences." She felt her chest tighten in conditioned fear. Instinct told her to run, to avoid hearing any more of this terrible conversation and remain blissfully unaware of what the Earl expected from her. But her curiosity got the better of her.

"If you're sure of her loyalties, then she needs to be moved to Keilt, quickly," the unknown voice continued.

"Rest assured, we have already sent our household in advance," Lady Dainer said. "Talea will be moved immediately."

"In that case we need only worry about the other party. Will they succeed in convincing him?"

"Convincing? Ha!" Lord Dainer gave a derisive snort. "If we could have convinced him, we wouldn't be in this horrid mess. Still, we'll be making an offer he won't be able to refuse. If there's something we've learned over the years, it's that he isn't entirely sane when it comes to _that."_

"But an empty threat doesn't seem like it could faze him..."

"Empty? Are you daft? We're not leaving _anything_ to chance! If we want the plan to succeed, we have to do everything to ensure things go smoothly. That includes having a valuable hostage, whether that hostage knows its being held ransom or not." A pause. "It might be better that they don't realize it, actually. It will cement our control over him. I've deployed a capable person to take care of it. He'll recognize the danger once it's pointed out to him, and he's not fool enough to try anything when there's something that precious at stake."

"Won't he just take precautions and ignore us? He's not known for negotiating."

"Our operative is under orders to assimilate into the household. In fact, they've been doing so for the last two years," Lady Dainer replied.

"The plan has been in motion that long?"

"Not at all; we just make it a point to have _connections_ ," Talea heard her father say. She swallowed, her tongue feeling swollen and dry. "He'll never be able to pick out the mole before we strike, and he won't risk the hostage's safety."

"Then the plan goes into motion tonight?"

"Tonight. Before it's too late."

An overwhelming terror settled into the pit of Talea's stomach. She fled.

* * *

"I'll kill you!"

"Ha, you couldn't even reach me that time!"

Nike ripped a pillow from the bed and lunged it with all her might. Livi dodged it neatly and laughed, throwing her last projectile back. "Quit moving you little bastard!"

"Yes, sound battle tactic there, Nike," he said sarcastically as he dodged yet another pillow. His victory cheer was drowned out as the next one hit him with such force that he was thrown to the ground. "Ow! Okay, okay, enough!"

"Aha!" She threw one more for good measure. "Revenge!"

"Idiot, you can't get revenge for revenge."

"Sure I can, and I just did. Now where's my apology?" she asked, crossing arms and legs on the mattress as she waited.

Livi sighed and stood up. He bowed. "I'm very sorry, Your Highness. I will never do it again." He straightened up and gave her one of his roguish grins. "Unless you do it first."

"Brat."

"Hypocrite." He climbed back onto the bed. "No one asked for such a rude awakening to begin with. It's only fair you get the same."

"I was your pillow as compensation!"

"Yeah, but then you fell asleep too and the sweet moment was ruined," Livi shrugged. "So it's still fair."

"You're terrible!"

"Yep. You really should be used to it by now," he teased, taking a lock of her hair and raising it to his lips. He kissed it and let it go slowly, the hair cascading back into place. She blushed despite herself. Livi made a contented noise and lay on his back to look up at the canopy. "I wasn't planning on a pillow fight, but it really is nice to have a day off once in a while."

Nike stretched herself out to lie on her stomach next to him. "Isn't it? We rarely get to spend so much time together."

"Mm, I like being able to watch you sleep longer than a couple of minutes," he said seriously.

"W-what? _You watch?!_ "

"Sometimes..." he said slowly, dragging out the word. "You make a lot of funny expressions, you know."

"Sh-shut up..."

"It's cute though. I like watching you."

"... That's embarrassing, Livi."

"What's embarrassing about it, I'm your husband, you know?"

"Still." She avoided catching his eye and pressed her face into her pillow.

"Why wouldn't I want to look? You look ridiculous asleep, but you're still beautiful," he said.

"Liar," she snorted. "You said I was a bumpkin for ages."

"Oh you are. But you're still pretty."

"Now you're just flattering me," she said in a deadpan voice, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Nope, telling it like it is," he winked at her and brushed some of the hair out of her face. "You have zero queenly presence, absolutely no grace or elegance, and the manners of a country farmer. But even then I think you're the loveliest woman there is." There was a hint of a joke in his words, but somehow she thought he was being sincere.

"You might need your eyesight fixed, Livi."

He burst into laughter.

"Oh gods, I can't breathe," he wheezed. She couldn't help laughing with him. It took a minute for him to recompose himself. "Ahh, sorry, I just wasn't expecting such a serious response." He chuckled and without warning, he moved in to kiss her forehead.

"H-hey!"

"Whoops, sorry, I messed up." He leaned in again, but this time he kissed her on the lips. Her stomach made a dive. "There," he said, satisfied at the sight of her blushing cheeks.

"Liviiiiii... you little..."

"I know, I'm a little devil, right?" He laughed but then his expression grew soft and she realized he was blushing. "But you really are the best, Nike. Whether you're pretty or plain, clumsy or stoic, fun or serious, I love you." She felt her heart jump up into her throat.

 _Ughhh, stop it! I can't handle this much cuteness!_ She groaned, covering her face with her pillow. He pried it away slowly.

"Nike..." he whispered, his face much too close. "Don't hide, Nike. I want to see your eyes,"

"Livi..." The rest of her sentence was silenced by his lips.

His took her hands tenderly, and she found that his palms were trembling slightly. She could feel the heat from his skin, from his breath, as he proceeded to kiss her cheeks and eyelashes. He kissed her forehead and the tip of her nose. She kissed him on the lips.

Once, twice, three times.

The caresses changed. He pulled her close and kissed her jawline, her throat, her collarbone. Her skin burned wherever he touched, her heart pounding furiously in her ears. She knew she had something she was supposed to say, but she couldn't remember, she couldn't focus. She buried her face in his shoulder and said the only thing that came to mind, before that too was forgotten.

"I love you too, Livi."

* * *

Talea was summoned to the parlor that afternoon. In less than two hours, she had been properly dressed, fed, and she, her satchel, and her trunk had been packed into a carriage. The only things in her hands were her parasol and her violin case. She was finally being sent to the Ocean Kingdom, her mother said. Laia would be waiting for her when she arrived.

Talea knew it was a lie, but she was too afraid to say anything.

The carriage set course for the town of Keilt, the only passenger a lone girl of sixteen heading toward something she couldn't begin to imagine.


	5. A Shadow is Cast

"Your Majesties, I beg your pardon, but an urgent message just arrived."

Neil had been warned not to fetch the king for anything but an emergency that morning, and the seasoned servant had no intention of bothering His Majesty or Princess Nike unless the occasion warranted it. The last week had been tiring for everybody, but no one as much as the king and queen themselves.

Neil had been one of the unlucky group that caught the flu, so Livius had had to take on the responsibilities that Neil usually handled for him. Nike too, had been overworked. She had led the search for the missing Cloud Princess and handled her duties at the reception admirably. According to his information, the queen had also been overseeing the dam repairs personally while her husband stayed at the castle tackling a mountain of correspondence. A day off was the least they deserved, and Neil was more than happy to accommodate the extra work for them now that he was recovered.

When news arrived that a fire had broken out in the southern granaries, however, it wasn't a situation that even the head chamberlain could handle. A crisis of this scale required royal attention, and Lord Bardwin was not in his office.

"Enter," came the king's voice, and Neil turned the handle.

Had this been any other day, he might have paid more attention at the state of the room, but as it was, the matter at hand was too pressing to stop and process what he saw properly. He thought nothing of the king sitting up in bed, naked but for the blanket draped over his lap; Livius was known to sleep in the nude. The princess was wrapped in her sheets, sound asleep at his side. A cursory glance found her chemise discarded on the carpet, but it wasn't until later that he really put two and two together. At the moment, he was worried about the fire.

"Your Majesty, we've just received word that the granaries in the Windmill District have gone up in flames," he said quickly, handing over the written missive. Livius took it and unrolled it, scanning it furiously.

"Five of them?! Shit..."

"Yes milord, and worse, we suspect arson. As it is, we stand to lose three years' worth of stored grain."

The king threw off the covers and headed straight for his boudoir.

"Do we have enough soldiers on hand to evacuate the premises?" he asked as he hurriedly pulled on a pair of trousers and a shirt.

"Unfortunately not. Since the castle is on high alert there are very few guards to spare. I don't have the authority to change their assignation and the Prime Minister is nowhere to be found."

"Where the hell did he run off to?" Livi mumbled to himself as he buttoned up his shirt. "Get Violetta and ask her to mobilize whoever she can spare from the castle guard; chances are Bard is wherever she is anyway, so tell him to head down if you see him. And tell Doric to get a message to the fire guild in the Aquarius District, we need as many hands as we can get if we want to save any of the grain. Tell him to use Yoru, he's faster than a regular carrier pigeon."

"Livi?"

Neil turned to see the queen sitting up, sleepily rubbing her eyes. Her sheets slid off her shoulder and Neil almost fell over in shock when he realized she wasn't wearing a thing. He clapped his hands over his glasses immediately.

"Y-Your Majesty! Please, cover up!"

"Huh?" She paused for a second, still groggy, then gave a small shriek. "Livi! Why didn't you wake me!?" Neil heard a rustling sound and peeked through his fingers to see her figure now shielded fiercely by the bedclothes. He sighed in relief.

"Sorry, Nike, I didn't have time to think about it," Livi replied hastily as he slipped into his shoes. Neil privately thought that Livi had done it on purpose.

It was no secret among the palace servants that the king and queen had yet to sleep together in earnest, not since the wedding. Several of them had wagers on how long it would take for the husband and wife to be bedded. More than a few servants in the kitchens and stables had already lost gold when the wedding night came and went, and several had steadily been losing their wages since. Mikia had bet such a large sum on it happening within the first week that she had made it her personal mission to obsessively inspect every sheet and every mark on the princess' body each morning. Jaina, the Royal Chef, had been caught trying to influence the mood between the king and queen by purposefully creating elaborate and romantic dinner settings over the past few days; his plans were foiled by their sheer exhaustion and Jaina had been forced to pay up his fifteen silver pieces to one of the scullery maids once Mikia reported identical findings for four days in a row. Palace staff weren't the only ones making wild guesses either; the entire kingdom was holding its collective breath over the issue.

Livius knew this. The king was a clever and calculating child, and he knew that if he wanted the marriage to be indisputably legal and binding, the kingdom required some proof of consummation. He also understood the fearsome network that constituted palace gossip.

 _He knew that if she wasn't warned, she was bound to get out of bed as normal. He was counting on her clumsiness to accidentally reveal herself to the maids when they came to fetch her._

Taking a closer look, Neil could see red marks on her neck, and he knew the king had ensured that his claim be acknowledged within the next day or two. Livius would want to make sure everyone knew the princess was his in full, both for the sake of legitimizing the match in the eyes of the law and for the sake of his own possessive nature. Neil made a mental note to pass the word along to the first maid he met and to corner Renato later that evening. The dark-skinned butler owed him fifty sols.

"What's going on? I thought you had the day off?" Nike asked, confusion etched on her face.

"I did, but the granaries in the Windmill District caught fire. I'm heading down now, we have to salvage as much of the grain as we can or our food production is going to suffer over the winter." He fixed his collar and cuffed his sleeves as he spoke. "Seems like it's arson, but whatever the case, we need rain."

"Just tell me what you need and I'll summon it," she replied quickly, modesty forgotten as she jumped out of bed. Neil shielded his eyes again as she fished around for her underthings. "Hand me a shirt and a pair of trousers from my wardrobe, Livi. I don't have time to get a corset on." He heard the sound of drawers being opened and clothes being flung through the air but he didn't dare look until it was safe. Though the king clearly planned for Nike to be seen, Neil knew the depths of Livius' jealousy would not allow for anything longer than an accidental glance. They may have been impaired, but Neil was still rather fond of keeping his eyes.

"We'll need a heavy rain to put out the fire, but don't keep it up for too long; if the wheat gets wet it's going to rot. It should be enough until we catch the culprit and it should prevent any more fires from starting in the first place, so can you do it?"

"Of course," she replied. "Neil, can you please fetch me the spyglass as soon as you can?" He opened his eyes and saw a handsome young woman where the clumsy princess had been standing. Nike was always a rather dashing sight in masculine attire, perhaps more attractive than she ever was wearing a queen's dresses and skirts.

"Right away, Your Highness." Neil bowed.

"Don't overexert yourself, Nike." The king took her hand and kissed it gently.

"I won't. Be careful, Livi." He reached up on his tiptoes to kiss her once more, then left through the door, commanding the soldiers standing guard in the corridor to follow him.

* * *

Nike was glad to be wearing men's clothes; she was never allowed to do it unless she was going out in disguise but it was infinitely more comfortable to use flats as she ran down the corridor with her hair flying loose behind her. She was glad she didn't need to bind her chest or wear a wig either. Even after a nap, her body was still aching a little from the unfamiliarity of being with Livi. She hoped it wouldn't hurt like that every time; she couldn't imagine being able to walk straight if she was wearing heels after spending the night with him.

She reached the southern corridor and threw herself up the stairs, two at a time, nearly bowling over a maid who was coming down with a duster in hand.

"Sorry, excuse me!" she shouted without stopping. The maid cursed at her as she leapt past, but Nike didn't care. The poor woman had probably mistaken her for a page or something, and even if she hadn't, Nike wasn't petty or self-absorbed enough to point out that she was the queen and it was disrespectful to call her "a bloody careless rogue."

She started to picture the storm she wanted to call; it shouldn't be strong, just consistent, and she needed to be careful of lightning.

 _Don't overdo it, I can't afford to ruin the wheat or the whole capital might suffer this year. They're all counting on me. Livi is counting on me._

She hurtled up another two flights of stairs and threw open the door to the tower. Nike hurried over to the parapet, leaning out to look for the telltale signs of smoke in the distance.

It was late in the afternoon, and the setting sun cast a red glow on the entirety of Ginitarix. The imperial city was enormous, stretching far beyond the first ring of fortified walls that surrounded the twelve Astrological Districts and the castle with its moat at the center. Fields, orchards, aqueducts, and artificially diverted rivers lay between the inner city and the outer walls for miles, providing sustenance to the entire population. The outer city was more of a smattering of towns and villages scattered throughout the Lesser Districts, though they were still considered to be in Ginitarix proper.

Nike loved looking out at the city from the castle towers, but today she was trying to hone in on just the Windmill District, which she knew was just outside the inner city walls. A few moments later, she found it, large clouds of billowing black smoke pointing her in the right direction.

She took a deep breath and spread her arms wide.

* * *

 _Ugh, I never want to see a stalk of wheat again._

Livius coughed, wiping his mouth with a soot-covered sleeve. His lungs felt raw after inhaling so much smoke.

The fires were almost extinguished now, thanks to Nike's powerful summoning. Unfortunately, she had only managed to put out the worst of the flames by increasing the intensity of the rain, making everyone's work incredibly difficult. The last hour had been spent trudging through mud, sometimes blindly, shouting out instructions through the deafening storm as the volunteers and soldiers helped move the large, burlap sacks of grain from the burning buildings to a more sheltered location. By the time the rain finally began to peter out, Livius was more tired than he ever remembered being.

He slumped against a tree, examining his hands. They were covered in dust and scratches. His palms were worn open and they stung fiercely. Even with hundreds of soldiers and the entirety of the fire guild, they had been so short on manpower that Livi had insisted he help; he wasn't as strong as a grown man, but he could still haul a decent amount of weight, thanks to his training with the sword over the years. It was a sign of how dire the situation was that no one tried to talk him out of it for long.

 _Still, we couldn't save everything,_ he thought. Nike had managed to put out every fire except the worst. The fifth granary tower had been all but burned to the ground and it was too late by the time she got the fire under control. Several hundred packs had been lost to water damage as well, though the losses would have been worse without Nike's help. _Damn, that's still a whole half-year of provisions, lost. We'll need to import for the time being, and we'll need to divert some of the national budget to rebuilding._

"Your Majesty, we've completed our search of the area. We found no trace of the arsonist."

 _Tch, I thought not._

"They must have cleared out before anyone noticed the flames," the soldier continued. "What are your orders, milord?"

"Double the patrol in the Astrological Districts. Post a guard outside every entrance to the city and I want a sentry on each storehouse in the west. We can't afford to lose any more food stores this close to winter."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'll relay your orders to the captain immediately." The soldier gave Livi a quick salute and ran off to search for Violetta.

 _First an assassin, now an arsonist..._ _This is the last thing I need this week_.

He stifled a yawn and his thoughts turned to his nice, warm bed. And to Nike.

He was well into a daydream of his memories from that afternoon when he was startled by a sudden weight on his shoulder. He nearly jumped out of his skin until he realized it was Yoru taking his place on his favorite roost.

"Ack! Yoru, don't _do_ that!" The large, golden bird cocked its head and blinked at him. He nuzzled his face and made a pleased chirping sound. Yoru had grown up thinking Livi was his mother, and he understood basically everything he said. He just didn't care much unless it was an order or praise.

"You really spoiled him rotten."

Bard had walked up to the tree Livi was resting under, his cheeks streaked with a smudge of soot but otherwise no worse for wear. As usual, the Prime Minister had arrived "fashionably late". Livi wanted to find a generous handful of ashes and pour it all over his uncle's perfect blonde head.

"Shut up, Yoru is a good kid," he said irritably. Thanks to Nike, everyone in the palace more or less referred to Yoru as if he were a human child; anyone unfamiliar with this custom probably thought that Livi had an actual son instead of an imprinted pet. "Neil was looking everywhere for you when the news of the fire came in. What's your excuse today, Bard?"

"Oh, ah..." Livi could actually see the older man's face break into a cold sweat. "Just... you know, business..."

"Uh huh. Normally I'd guess you were with Captain Rootwick but seeing as _she_ arrived in time it would be unfair to blame her, don't you think?" He narrowed his eyes in dislike. " _She_ understands her priorities and her position."

"No, well... You see..."

"Off flirting with the maids again? Gone to town for a drink in the middle of the work day? Surprise me, Bardwin," Livi sneered. He must have hit the mark because Bard hung his head in shame. "I don't care about the reasons. Just try to actually do your _job_ , you damn useless walking bottom-half."

"I'm very sorry, Livi. It won't happen again," Bard said. Livi scoffed.

"If I had a sol for every time I ever heard _that_..." His sentence was interrupted by the arrival of another soldier.

"Your Majesty, we've finished the final inventory. We await your orders," she reported.

"Thank you. I want these sent to the western reserves," Livi replied. "Captain Rootwick should already have prepared a sentry, so make sure the transport is also guarded. I don't want to hear anything about the wagons being robbed or attacked; wheat is as precious as gold this late in the harvest season."

"Yes, sire." The soldier bowed and scurried off.

Livi turned to Bard. "And you're handling _all_ the paperwork on the relocation and the damage report."

"Seriously? _All_ of it?!"

"All of it. I still have to come up with a way to replenish the lost stock to get us all through the winter without having to delve into our emergency reserves so you should do _something_ , Prime Minister," he said angrily. Bard had the decency to look abashed. "Next time, I'm making _you_ stand in the rain for an hour."

"We're ready to escort you back to the palace, Your Majesty," Violetta called. She rode up on horseback, leading Livi's own mount by the reins. She was just as drenched and marred with ash as he was, and Livi was pleased to see that she kicked Bard in the back mercilessly as she rode up to the king.

"Ow!" he cried.

"Shut up, you useless sack of flesh." Lovers they might be, but Violetta never showed even a hint of gentleness toward Bard. She'd once replied to a question about their relationship with a raised eyebrow and the phrase, "It's a purely physical relationship. I can't stand the damn bastard." Livi almost felt sorry for Bard. Almost.

"Thank you, Captain," he said, taking the reins and climbing into his saddle. "Let's go home, shall we? My wife has probably fainted on the castle roof and she'll be needing someone to warm her up."

* * *

"Ughhhhhh."

Nike lay slumped over the balustrade, drained. Summoning the rain was always tiring, but singing for longer than a few minutes was usually enough to exhaust her. Singing for over an hour was hell.

"You did well, Your Grace," Neil said, carefully patting her back as she tried to regain her strength.

"I hope... Livi caught... that... damn arsonist... I want to... punch them... in the face," she muttered hoarsely, her throat raw.

"Er, Nike-sama, queens aren't supposed to punch anybody..."

"Do I... look like... I care about... propriety?" she growled. "I'll... punch... whoever... I damn... well... please..."

"What was the _point_ of all your lessons, Your Majesty? Were you not planning to be a proper lady to be a fitting wife to His Majesty?!"

"I try... during... important... occasions... but I..." she coughed. "I think... this country... and Livi... need more... than just... a pretty... ornament... to bear... his... children. I want... to help... him."

"That's very kind and admirable of you, Nike-sama, but I'm pretty sure helping him doesn't include punching criminals personally."

"Shut... up... I'll... punch them... for... sure..." she coughed again and she was sure she tasted blood. The damage to her throat must have been worse than she thought.

"Your Grace, we should go back inside. You're soaked and it's getting cold now that the sun has set. If we stay here much longer you'll be at risk of getting ill."

"Alright... let's go... back... but... I think... you're going... to have to... carry me... Neil..."

* * *

"Good work, today," Livi said, patting his horse's nose as he finished drying it down with a towel. It snorted affectionately at him. After the creature had played a pivotal part in saving Nike's life a few years earlier, Livi made it a point to groom and feed it himself whenever he had to go out on horseback. He wasn't particularly good with animals, but his horse and Yoru were the exceptions.

"Your Majesty, you should go indoors and get changed," said one of the young stable boys. "Captain Rootwick asked me to tell you that she ordered the bath be prepared for you."

"Very well, thank you, Jelle." The boy bowed and scurried away, leaving Livi alone in the large stable. He hung the saddle from its ring in the horse's stall and made sure there was enough hay for it to eat. Satisfied, he gave the horse another friendly pat and locked the stall closed.

It was a nice night, though colder than usual. If it hadn't been for the puddles on the cobblestones, it would have been impossible to tell that just less than thirty minutes ago it had been pouring fiercely. Livi looked up at the sky as he walked back to the castle, amazed at how quickly the clouds had dissipated.

 _No matter how many times I see it, Nike's rain summoning is still impressive._

Tired though he was, he couldn't help but feel lighthearted in the brisk, clean air. He did, after all, have a nice warm bath, a hot dinner, and Nike's company to look forward to.

 _She's going to be exhausted_ , he thought to himself. _She did really well, so I'll finish reading that book of myths to her tonight. And..._

He paused. The garden nearest to the stables wasn't far. Since he'd been busy, he hadn't had time to collect flowers for Nike in quite a few days. She always looked so happy when she found the small bouquets in her room and he wanted to do something nice for her since she was bound to be feeling terrible after singing so much.

 _It's dark, but it should be okay..._ _I'll only be a minute._

He wasn't much of a singer, especially not compared to Nike, but he still had the urge to hum to himself as he made his way down the garden path.

* * *

Nike snapped awake with a yelp. She had accidentally shifted in her sleep, stretching her swollen muscles and sending a jolt of pain up her spine.

"Ugh, whyyyy..." she whined aloud. She reached for Livi, wanting to be consoled. Her hand met nothing but bedsheets.

She blinked.

"Livi?"

No reply. She winced as she lifted herself up. As she'd guessed, Livi's side of the bed was empty. She groaned and fell back down.

 _No wonder, it's already daylight. He probably left ages ago._ She felt slightly guilty; she had fallen asleep as soon as Neil had helped her get into bed so she had missed dinner and she had slept through Livi's return. _I bet he's mad at me_ , she thought, her heart sinking as she pulled a pillow gingerly over her face to block out the sunlight.

"Milady?" Sunya's voice came at the door, followed by a polite knock. Nike said nothing; even if she didn't reply, the maids would barge in to wake her regardless. A minute or two later, the door opened and Nike heard the elderly maid's heavy footsteps as she plodded over to the bed. "Princess, it's time to wake up." Of all the servants in the castle, only Nike's personal retinue still called her 'princess'.

Nike pretended to be asleep, hiding under her pillow.

"Princess," Sunya repeated. Silence. "Your Majesty, it's morning." No reply.

"Sunya, Neil said to use this," Nike heard Lanra's voice as the younger maid entered the room. The sound of ice clinking against glass immediately rose Nike from her bed.

"No! Get that away from me!" she shrieked, ignoring the soreness in her limbs. Neil had learned over the years that nothing was quite as effective to wake the princess as a glass of ice cold water, thrown over her as she slept.

"Ah, there we go. Good morning, Your Highness," Lanra half-curtsied, the offending glass held in her hand. Sunya did the same, and Mikia, who had just entered the room, gave a quick nod as she carried Nike's clothes to the bed.

"Morning." Her voice was still a bit hoarse and deadpan. Lanra offered the glass of water and Nike took it, drinking it down quickly. The ice helped chase away her grogginess. "I swear I'll get Neil back for using this on me," she grumbled as she handed the water back. The maids ignored her comment.

"Here are your clothes, Your Majesty," Mikia said, holding out clean underthings, a cream colored gown embroidered with silver thread, and a corset. A pair of matching white heels and her silver coronet sat neatly above the folded garments.

"Why so formal, Mikia?" Nike asked, frowning, as she took and unfolded the dress. There was nothing especially important happening today, as far as she remembered. There was certainly nothing grand enough to require the use of her circlet; even Livius never wore his crown unless there was a special occasion.

"I'm not sure, milady. Renato brought a message from Neil, saying you needed to dress formally today."

"That's strange..." She thought for a second then decided to put it from her mind.

 _Whatever, I probably just forgot._ She stood up and allowed the maids to pull her chemise off and begin dressing her.

Twenty minutes later, she wobbled from her room, the guards outside her bedroom trying not to stare as she dragged herself forward reluctantly.

"Milady, please, straighten up!" hissed Mikia as they escorted the queen down the corridor.

"Ugh, I can't feel my feet," she complained. "Can't I just take these shoes off and put them back on when I get to the dining hall?"

"Of course not!" Sunya chided. "Neil was very clear, he said you had to be elegant today."

"Is Livi dressed up too?"

"Neil didn't say anything about him, but we think so. His Majesty seems very busy today. He's called for servants all morning," Mikia said thoughtfully.

"He's probably dealing with yesterday's aftermath, Mikia," Lanra piped up. "Since we're the princess's maids, we were told to focus on attending her, but I saw Alice and Beth running up and down the corridors on errands from him. Renato and the other butlers too."

"Did they catch the arsonist?" Nike asked suddenly. She'd almost forgotten that she was determined to personally punish the person responsible for the fires.

"Not as far as I know, Your Majesty," Lanra replied. "I think the king and his men were focused on saving the grain and the culprit used that to get away."

 _Tch. Which means we now have an assassin_ and _an arsonist to worry about. Unless they're the same person, in which case they're all the more dangerous._

The small group made its way down the main staircase, passing several servants scurrying in all directions. Lanra and Mikia had not been exaggerating; it seemed that the entire palace was in an uproar.

"What in the world...?" Nike said as a butler ran past, carrying what looked like the entirety of Yoru's training equipment. A maid followed close behind, her hands full of books and scrolls. Before she could ask, both servants were out of reach. "Is there an event I should know about?"

"Not that we know of, princess."

 _I'll ask Livi during lunch_.

* * *

The day drew on, but no one seemed to have the time to explain things to Nike. Bemused, she followed through with her usual schedule. After breakfast she headed to her lessons and held audience in the throne room. Livi was absent from this, which itself was not unusual. He was often so busy that he left the more social tasks of rule to Nike, which meant she had the freedom to tackle everyday problems for the people of Ginitarix as she saw fit, often in person. When it was just Nike, audiences were never formal and she often left the castle to assist in some capacity or another. On the other hand, some days, like today, there were very few people who came to see the king or queen. Before she knew it, Nike was ushered on to her next task: correspondence.

By the time lunchtime came round, Nike was very confused. Everyone pertaining to the queen's court was present and accounted for, but none of them seemed to know any more than she did about what was going on. The dance and music instructors had merely shrugged and continued their lessons, and the royal tutor had reprimanded her for interrupting a discourse on diplomatic courtesy in the western kingdoms. The swordmaster and archery captain were equally perplexed about the castle activity, and her aide, a female chamberlain by the name of Erika, had so many letters for Nike to examine and reply to that she scarcely heard the question.

Things only got worse when she arrived in the dining hall and found Neil standing by Livi's chair, alone.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. His Highness could not join you for lunch today. He ordered me to deliver a message to you."

She stood stock-still at the door for a moment.

"Neil."

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"What the hell is going on?"

Neil motioned for Nike to sit down. She did as she was told but she thought he looked rather nervous.

"To be honest, Nike-sama, I'm not sure. His Majesty just suddenly began preparing for the extended trip to the north and-"

" _Wait, what?!"_

"Eh? The trip up north, Your Grace. His Majesty needed to handle the requisition of trade rights after we lost so much grain yesterday. He decided to go personally to speak to the Duke of Yngrid about negotiating new contracts with the northern kingdoms. Did... Didn't His Highness notify you?"

"He didn't tell me anything!" she said, shocked. Something about this situation was making her uneasy.

Neil looked perplexed. "But, Your Majesty, he clearly said..."

She bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head. _He probably forgot_ , she reasoned.

"What was the message?" she asked, interrupting Neil's explanation. Immediately, the retainer's face blanched. The gesture was not lost on Nike. Her sense of unease grew. "What did he say?" she asked again, dreading the answer.

"His... His Majesty wishes me to tell you that in order to deal with the transactions, he will be gone for at least a few months... and that you will not be coming with him."

It took Nike an entire minute to process what Neil said. She stared at him blankly, expecting him to say he was joking or had made a mistake. He didn't.

"Where is he, Neil?" she asked quietly. A hot, unbearable panic was taking root in her heart and she couldn't say why. All she knew was that something felt very wrong, and she needed to speak with Livi. Immediately.

"Y-Your Majesty...?"

" _Where is my husband, Neil?!"_

"O-out in the courtyard preparing for his departure, Nike-sama..." the chamberlain stuttered, obviously terrified at her sudden outburst.

Without warning, she slammed her hands on the table, pushed herself up, and marched to the door.

* * *

A shiver ran down Neil's back. His throat had gone unpleasantly dry and he was sure he had felt a small stirring of wind as the queen threw the door open.

 _Oh no,_ he thought as he ran after her.

Though he had also found Livius' behavior a bit peculiar that morning, he had pinned it down on work-related stress and lack of sleep. Now, he wasn't so sure. The princess had an uncanny knack for understanding people's emotions and an even more unnerving sixth sense for trouble. Neil often wondered if her intuition was strengthened by her power to call the rain. As it was, her reaction to the news that the king was preparing to depart only filled Neil with dread.

 _This can't be good._

"Your Grace!" he called, stumbling after her. "Milady, please wait!"

"Shut up," she shouted back to him, her quick steps echoing loudly in the hall.

"Milady!" he called desperately, adjusting his glasses as he ran.

"Be quiet, Neil," she growled, and Neil could have sworn a cold breeze was now filling the hall. He had to do something.

"Where are you going, Milady?!" he called, his voice an octave higher than normal. She had reached the stairs and was resolutely stomping down each step.

"Where do you think?!" she positively roared, and Neil instinctively flinched as a full blown gale blasted his face.

"Your Majesty! Your Highness! The king has asked-!"

"Damn what he asked!" she swore, and a group of ambassadors who had been talking at the bottom of the grand staircase stared in shock at the woman whom they had only seen but rarely, usually smiling and waving or holding pleasant conversation at the king's side. They almost forgot to bow but she was past them before they straightened. "That little brat, who does he think he is?!" she muttered.

 _He thinks he's the king, milady,_ he thought, half-panicking.

"I'll show him," she threatened, rolling up her sleeves. Her hair was crackling with electricity and she looked far more dangerous than an angry bear.

 _Oh gods, someone is going to die today._

She threw the majestic oak door open with inhuman force and marched down the stairs to the garden plaza, where the king was supervising the last of the preparations for his trip.

"Livius!" she shouted, and for the first time Neil realized just how suitable she was to her role as one of the rulers of the world. He saw the king stiffen his posture, but the look he gave Nike was neither afraid nor angry. It was much scarier.

"Ah, Nike," he said. His voice was cold, and Nike almost stopped in her tracks at the harshness of his tone. Neil saw her shake her head slightly and a moment later she had drawn up to the king. She seemed to tower far higher over him than the small height difference actually allowed.

"Livi," she seethed. She was glaring at her husband as though she would butcher and eat him right there. The pages and stableboy preparing the king's entourage had frozen solid, unable to look away from the scene.

"What is it? Come to wish me a good trip?" he asked. He could have been teasing her, had his words actually matched up with his expression. They looked like two predators sizing each other up to attack.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked, a storm rolling in above them. "Why didn't you tell me that you were leaving?"

"Excuse me? I _did_. Neil should have informed you." Neil wished his liege hadn't just thrown him under the carriage. He coughed quietly.

" _That's not what I mean,"_ she hissed, ignoring the chamberlain. "You're going to be gone for _months?!_ And you couldn't bother telling me in person?!" A crack of thunder echoed in the not-so distant sky.

"I'm _busy_ ," the king replied, his voice icy.

"Ha! You're just so damned busy that you can't bother to tell your own wife that you'll be leaving for who knows how long!? For that matter, where do you get off thinking you can order me to stay?! I'm not your subject, Livi! I'm the queen! And don't you _dare_ say you're asking me to stay so I can look after things in the imperial capital. Don't we have a Prime Minister to handle things when we're out of the city?!"

Livi did not reply immediately. She took this as a signal to continue her argument.

"Did I do something to upset you? Why are you acting like this?! I thought we were supposed to be _a team_ , I thought I was supposed to be your _partner!_ " She was so upset that she seemed to be shaking. "If it's something I did, tell me! Why are you doing this?!"

"Silence," he finally said. It was not a shout, not a roar, not even a loud reprimand. It was a chilling, clear command, and Nike was momentarily taken aback. "I have important business to take care of and I don't have time for a tantrum," he said, glaring at her as though he'd never seen such a disgrace in his life. A loud crack of thunder mirrored the queen's expression.

 _She's really going to kill him_ , Neil thought desperately. He wondered if he could pull the queen away without getting struck by lightning.

"I've had enough," Livius said, still not raising his voice. "I am not obligated to notify you in advance or bring you with me, nor is it any of your business if I'm called away on short notice. You are _my_ wife, and you will _do as I say_."

For a second Neil foolishly thought she would relent, but quick as a snake she'd raised her hand and slapped him heavily across the face. The sound echoed horribly, and the stable boy dropped the king's saddle in shock. Only the rumble of thunder and the queen's labored breathing broke the heavy silence.

The king raised a hand to his cheek almost dreamily and Neil thought the king had been struck mute. Instead, Livius smiled.

It was not a warm smile. It held no love, no warmth. It did not reach his eyes, and the temperature seemed to drop twenty degrees. Neil recognized the look on Livius' face and his stomach clenched in fear.

Nike made as if to step back, but before she could move, Livi lunged for her wrist and bent it backwards, causing her to cry out in pain. He continued to smile.

"If you were not my wife, I would have you killed for that," he said, almost sweetly. Her eyes were wide with terror; Neil knew she recognized that cruel, empty look all too well.

"Livi," she whispered fearfully. "What happened to you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

For a second Neil saw something flash across the king's face, but it was gone in a moment and the cold smile did not waver.

"Nothing, dear wife," he said. The words were not playful or teasing. They were dripping in saccharine poison. He put pressure on her wrist and she screamed; Neil was terrified he would break it and the queen seemed to have lost the nerve to fight back. "Now, Nike, be a good girl, hmm? I'll overlook your capital punishment for slapping me just this once. But don't forget," he added, narrowing his eyes slightly as he put further pressure on her bones. He ignored her agonized whimper and continued. "Never forget, Nike, that you belong to me. Your life is mine to do with as I see fit. Nothing more, nothing less." He took her wrist, red and beginning to bruise, and kissed the veins crisscrossing into her palm. It almost looked like his usual romantic gestures, but gone horribly wrong.

She cried out and suddenly there was a flash of red on her skirt. He'd bitten into her skin.

"Stop," she sobbed, never looking away from his face. "Don't do this, Livi, please..." She was all but begging.

But his smile remained, his lips now dyed red.

"Now, I'm running late. I'll have to hurry to make up for this lost time, so I'm afraid I'll have to leave you now." His fingers did not release her, and there was another unspoken threat as he purposefully brushed against the open wound. He stepped forward and kissed her lips, reddening them with her own blood. It was a frigid kiss that barely brushed her skin, but Nike was frozen in place. "Farewell, dear wife," he said, and without another word he walked to his horse, climbed it bareback, and set off at a trot down the cobbled path. Nobody else moved, and it took several minutes for his entourage to mount and gallop after him. Neil turned to look at Nike, just in time to see her legs give way and her knees hit the ground. Her eyes were watching her husband's retreating figure and her mouth repeated the same motion over and over.

"Livi, Livi, Livi," she whispered.

All too quickly he was gone.


	6. A Fragmented Dream

A small trickle of blood dripped slowly to the ground. No matter how long she waited, the flow would not stop.

She blinked and watched, mesmerized, as the wound continued to well up, the fleshy part of her palm ripped open in a cruel, jagged line.

Her palm? No, that was wrong.

It was her finger that was bleeding...

Wasn't it?

 _Yes, that's right._

A shard of glass had cut into the pad of her thumb.

"Milady! I'm so sorry! Are you alright?!"

A pretty young maid bowed hurriedly, red hair tied back into a neat ponytail. Instead of the usual white cap, she was wearing a frill.

White cap? Didn't the maids _always_ wear frills?

"Oh, yes, I'm fine, Rosalind."

 _Rosalind? Did I have a maid by that name? And why am I so sure that's her name?_

The girl called Rosalind bowed again, clutching her now empty tea tray to her chest. The glasses of rose water she had been carrying now lay in shards, strewn across the floor at her feet.

"But miss, you're bleeding! I'll fetch the doctor immediately!" she cried, panicking at the sight of the blood on her lady's hand.

"No, no, it's fine! I'll just ask-"

 _Ask? Ask who?_

She blinked.

"Lady Talea?"

 _Ta...lea? But that's not... I'm... wait..._

She shook her head slightly, trying to remember.

 _No, that's right. My name is Talea Dainer... second daughter of the Earl of Ferana. This is our manor in Keilt_ _, and Rosalind is my new maid in waiting. I was trying to help pick up this mess and cut myself on the glass... Why... did I think otherwise?_

"Milady! You're crying!"

"Eh?" Talea reached to touch her cheek and found that Rosalind was right. Her face was streaked with tears. "Huh...? Why...?"

"I'm so sorry! This is all my fault!" Rosalind wailed, tearing her new white apron in a single motion before Talea could protest. In less than two minutes the maid had pulled the glass from her mistress' wound and bound it tightly with the strip of cloth. Clumsy or not, Rosalind was clearly a capable maid. "Is that better? Please don't cry, milady!"

"No, no! You're mistaken Rosalind! I'm not crying because of the wound!"

 _But..._ why _am I crying then?_ Talea had no idea.

* * *

 _Livi._

It was hot. Her throat burned and she was covered in sweat. She felt clammy.

She tried to move but found that she lacked the strength. Her head was pounding to the rhythm of her heart and she suddenly felt an incredible urge to throw up.

"Your Majesty!"

Almost lazily, her head turned. She vaguely recognized the young man at her bedside as the royal doctor. She opened her mouth to speak with him.

" _Li...vi..._ " she croaked.

"Milady, please don't speak, you've been unconscious for two days." The doctor turned to address someone she couldn't see. "Fetch Her Highness a pitcher of water, and please bring me new towels."

She heard the door open and close.

" _Wh...ere..."_

"Please, Nike-sama," the doctor pleaded. "You've been fighting off an infection. You're still very feverish; you need rest."

 _In... infection? Fever...?_ What was the man saying? Didn't he realize she had to go after Livi immediately?

She finally managed to lift herself up but doing so provoked her nausea. The doctor immediately grabbed a basin and pulled her hair back as she retched.

 _Ugh... I need to get to Livi... I have to go...!_

She couldn't forget those eyes. They were cold and cruel, feral. Icy blue, not warm like the skies she prayed to. Possessive, angry, and violent. But worst of all, and most painful to remember, was that they were eyes full of hatred and fear.

She lost her meager strength and she slumped into the doctor's arms, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Her fever is coming back, hurry!"

 _Livi, no, please... Livi, Livi..._

A cold, wet towel was pressed to her brow. Her vision was blurrier than ever but she could just make out two figures leaning over her. Her mouth was pulled open and something small was put onto her tongue. Her nose was pinched closed and the last thing she felt was water being poured forcibly down her throat.

* * *

She was lonely.

There were hundreds of servants ready to attend to her every whim, but not a single companion to ease her fears. Her parents had moved into the manor with her about a week after she had arrived, but their presence only made Talea feel more on edge. Her father looked, if possible, more smug than usual, and her mother's expression was inscrutable. She was terrified to find out more about the plan she had overheard, but she couldn't forget it either.

She considered writing a letter to Laia, who had returned home to her husband and newborn child in the Ocean Kingdom immediately after the royal wedding. Laia was the only member of her family that Talea trusted and she desperately wanted to ask her older sister for advice. She couldn't be sure that her father wouldn't intercept the letter, however, so she desisted.

With every passing day, her fears grew. Since she had left the imperial court, she had walked straight into a web of lies and intrigue. She knew it was there; she could feel its threads subtly wrapping themselves around her but she could not see them, nor could she begin to fathom how to get free. She understood, too, that whatever her father was planning, it was dangerous. The earl was an ambitious man, and ambitious men, Talea knew from her studies, ended up with their heads on the block. Worse, her father had made it clear that she was a key player in the plot, whatever it was. And if she was involved, it was _her_ head he was putting on the block. She knew that he wouldn't think much of sending off one of his daughters to her death if it meant power for the Dainer family.

* * *

Her hand ached.

The infection had been a nasty one, she'd been told. Nike thought it ironic that something as small as a human bite could become so dangerous, but since she had always been prone to fevers she wasn't surprised.

For days she had been kept under strict supervision by order of the doctor. If she showed any sign of feeling out of the ordinary, the maids would scamper off and return with the young medic in tow. Nike would then have to sit through another lengthy examination, have her hand bandaged anew, and be forced to drink foul tasting medicine. She knew she was being guarded as well. The excuse was that there was still an assassin on the loose, but Nike knew that the guard had doubled outside her window to prevent her from escaping and going after Livi.

Not that she hadn't tried. Once she had managed to get as far as the southern garden before she passed out. Mikia and a scullery maid by the name of Alice had found her sprawled behind a hedge late in the afternoon and rushed her to the infirmary immediately. Apparently her fever ran so high that the entire castle was terrified that the queen would die. She didn't, but she cursed her own weakness for failing to escape.

Nike tried again a few times, but it quickly became clear that she was too ill to manage it; even if she did get past the guards and out of the castle, Nike couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't faint and fall off her horse. Dying on the side of a remote road wasn't going to do anyone any good. Especially not Livius.

* * *

Something was happening.

She couldn't be sure what, but when the bow of her violin accidentally snapped, Talea's father didn't whip her. He didn't slap her when she forgot to greet a visiting dignitary from the Forest Kingdom, and he didn't call her a useless bitch when she lost her prayer book and had to ask for a new one.

Not once since they had come to Keilt had her parents been anything but civil and courteous toward her. They were mild and uncharacteristically pleasant and everything they did only fueled Talea's insecurity and her suspicions.

When she bathed and Rosalind combed out her long black hair, the maid commented on her fading scars.

"Oh, your wounds are healing nicely, milady! I daresay they'll have mostly faded by spring, isn't that nice?"

Talea broke out in gooseflesh at each well-meaning observation.

 _They shouldn't be fading, stop it! It's wrong, something is wrong!_

Every morning she looked over her shoulder in the mirror before dressing. Every gash that actually scabbed over, every bruise that disappeared, and every scar that began to blend in with her skin scared her. Never before had she been allowed to heal from her father's beatings, and never before had she felt so unsure of what to do.

* * *

Two weeks.

Two weeks of bed rest. Two weeks of being a virtual prisoner in her own bedroom. Even once the fevers abated and she began to feel better, the doctor would not allow her to leave the room without an escort. She was allowed no visitors outside of her own retinue and she was sure her food was being spiked with medication to help her sleep; she often woke up at odd hours, disoriented.

At the end of the second week, the doctor finally (and rather begrudgingly) removed the bandages from her hand. Livi's teeth had left a deep, rough scar on her palm but at least it was no longer swollen or painful. She unconsciously traced her fingers over the cut.

Two weeks was far too long.

* * *

She was asked to dress in her finest that evening.

She thought nothing much of it at first; aristocratic visitors were constantly in attendance.

Her maids brought her a new pair of shoes. They pinned her hair up as elegantly as they could, and they used one of her most expensive pins to hold it up. They dabbed perfume on the inside of her wrists and the side of her neck.

It wasn't much different from usual... But...

 _Did I always wear perfume?_

She was called to the foyer around eight to greet the guests.

"This way, miss," one of the butlers said, offering her their hand as she reached the entrance hall. She took it.

She kept her eyes downcast as demurely as possible, as she'd been taught.

The butler led her to the guest, a young man already conversing with her father.

 _My... father? But isn't my father...?_

She didn't have time to think; the butler introduced her and she automatically curtsied.

"Miss Talea Dainer, second daughter of the Earl, Your Grace."

"Ah."

It was one word, more of a sound of acknowledgement, but she froze, her eyes still glued to the floor.

She knew that voice. She had heard it countless times at court. Her eyes stung with tears and something in her heart leapt.

 _Livi!_

Fifty miles away, Princess Nike snapped awake, her hand reaching out desperately to grasp at nothing but cold air.


	7. A Princess' Resolve

He was getting close. He was reading as he walked, so he failed to notice the sinister presence tailing his every move.

Silently, the shadow crept slowly forward. Inch by careful inch, they positioned themselves to ambush their prey.

The target flipped a page and muttered to themselves as they passed the fountain. Just a few more seconds and they'd be in range...

"You're mine!"

Nike leapt from her hiding spot in her favorite tree, knocking Neil down with the entirety of her weight as he crossed into the deserted courtyard. Before he could recover from having the breath knocked out of him, she wrestled him into a headlock and hissed like a cat.

"Start talking, Neil," she ordered, sitting squarely on his back to prevent him from escaping.

"Yo- your Ma-jesty!?" he gasped as he recognized her voice. "Wh-what in the...?!"

"Don't act all innocent, you've been avoiding me all day and I'm done playing around," she growled, tightening her hold.

"What?!"

"You heard me, now hurry up and tell me. _Where is he?"_

"He...? I don't..."

She dug her elbow into his shoulder blade, eliciting a loud gasp of pain.

"I don't know, Your Grace!"

"Liar, he tells you everything!"

"But he really hasn't, Nike-sama! Just like I said, he told me he was going to Yngrid!" he cried as she gave him another sharp jab in the back.

"Well guess who wrote me while I was unconscious, _Neil?"_ she said, her tongue dripping with sarcasm. "The governor of Yngrid hasn't seen a hair on Livi's head since the wedding, and I want to know why. _Now."_

"But I don't know! He only wrote to me once!"

"And what did he write?"

Neil suddenly fell silent. Nike cracked her knuckles menacingly.

 _"What did my little shit of a husband write, Neil?"_

Still, the servant refused to speak. Nike narrowed her eyes and lowered her face to whisper so only he could hear.

"You know, he might be mad at me, but I'm pretty sure he'd be furious if he found out his most trusted chamberlain had kissed the queen..." she said, letting the threat linger for a moment. She saw his face drain of color.

"You wouldn't, Nike-sama..."

"Oh there's nothing an angry wife won't do, don't you know, Neil?" she said in a falsely cheery voice as she curled a strand of her hair lazily. "Isn't that one of the sayings here in the Sun Kingdom? Who do you think everyone will believe, the queen, crying in tears after being kissed against her will, or a manservant? Who do you think _Livi_ is going to believe, in the state he's in?"

"Please don't, Your Majesty! I'm begging you, he'll have me killed!"

"Shame, isn't it? Losing such a young and talented Head Chamberlain. It's a good thing Erika is around to replace you; I'm sure she'd like your office," she added. She knew Neil hated Erika; as the only female chamberlain currently in service at the palace, the twenty-two year old woman was incredibly skilled and had won her current position as the queen's aide through pure devotion and hard work. Everyone knew she was after Neil's job next. He considered her his most fearsome rival.

It worked. At the sound of Erika's name, he broke down in tears.

"Fine, fine!" he sobbed. "Anything but that, please don't give her my office! I'll tell you what he wrote!"

"Spit it out then, unless you really want to know what the block feels like..." she said, running a finger down his cheek suggestively. She had to bite her lip to prevent herself from laughing at Neil's horrified expression. _This is actually a lot more fun than I thought. No wonder Livi gets such a kick out of threatening and teasing everyone._

"No need!" he said hurriedly. "His Majesty wrote... actually, well promise you won't get too angry, Your Grace..."

"I'm not promising anything until you tell me what the hell he wrote," she growled, losing her patience.

"Okay! Well he wrote to tell me... not just me, honestly, the whole castle... he told us that we must by no means let you out of the palace grounds, milady!" he said quickly, shutting his eyes as if he was expecting to be hit.

Nike took a deep breath.

"I thought as much," she said, her suspicions confirmed. "Let me guess, he's threatening to have anyone who lets me go killed, right?"

"Y-yes, Your Highness."

"That little brat," she muttered, biting the inside of her cheek in anger. "He's too clever for his own good, but at least he's predictable..." _I can't leave now. He's basically holding the whole castle hostage. Who knows what he'd do to them if I snuck out?_

"Er, Your Majesty?"

"What?"

"Can you get off my back now? You're rather heavy..."

"Oh, I forgot." She climbed off and sat cross legged on the dirt instead. She hardly noticed Neil dusting himself off as she stared pensively at nothing in particular.

 _I really need to reach him as soon as possible... Whatever happened to make him regress like that, I have to help. If I can't go after him, I can try writing to him, but I doubt he's going to bother answering... And if it's true he's not in Yngrid, I have no idea where he is so anything I send won't be delivered anyway. Tch, and he had to take Violetta nee-san with him too... What do I do..._

"Your Highness..."

 _Ugh, this is pissing me off. I'm going to beat him up next time I see him, that cocky little son of a-_

"Nike-sama?"

"Huh?" she said, startled. "Oh, you're still here Neil?"

"Uh, yes, milady... I just wanted to tell you that His Majesty also wrote that although you are forbidden from leaving the castle-" (here she gave a derisive snort) "he has left all the affairs of state to you and Bardwin-sama while he is away. Which means that for the last two weeks, your desk has been collecting quite a mountain of paperwork..."

"Oh you have got to be _kidding_ me!" she shouted angrily. "When I get my hands on Livi, I swear I'll kill him!"

* * *

"Good morning, Your Highness. I've brought your correspondence."

Erika stood respectfully off to one side of the open doorway as several of Nike's maids ran in and out of the office.

"Thank you, Erika. Come in," Nike replied from her desk, leafing tiredly through a dictionary. Erika obeyed and held out a small stack of letters.

"I have a letter for you from Princess Luna. There's also one from the Sand Kingdom, and there's several from a few different governors in our foreign territories. There is also a letter for you from the Rain Duchy, milady," Erika recited as she handed over the bundle of envelopes. Nike took them and untied the tweed string holding them together. She put aside the governors' letters and focused on the others.

 _To Her Majesty, Nike Remercier, Queen of the Sun Kingdom and Fourth Princess of the Rain Duchy,_ read the first envelope. It was written in incredibly detailed calligraphy.

"This is almost certainly Luna's," she said, showing the envelope to Lanra, who was trying to fix up the queen's appearance after an all-nighter. The maid chuckled as she arranged Nike's hair.

"The princess hasn't changed much at all, has she?"

"Hmm," Nike agreed as she tore open the letter and began to read.

 _Dear Nike,_ _I'm sorry I couldn't come to your wedding; my air-headed parents forgot the date and sent me as a dignitary to some small country in the west with my brother, Teibe, for a couple of months. We only just returned and I was so mad that they let me miss your wedding that I haven't spoken to them in days._ _Serves them right._ _I did hear about what happened during the ceremony though. I'm told both you and Livi made it out safely, but I hope you catch that assassin soon, if you haven't already. Teibe wishes me to tell you that if you're in need of soldiers or bodyguards you only need ask and we will supply them. The Ocean Kingdom isn't your greatest ally for nothing!_ _Anyway, I'm enclosing your wedding present with this letter. Your aide will know what I'm talking about. I'll be coming to visit soon, I'll write you when I have a date._ _Be careful, Nike. Send Livi my love. Oh and, if you ever divorce him, come marry me. Fortis will just have to be my concubine or something._ _Yours,_ _Amaluna Luirasalle, First Princess of the Ocean Kingdom_

She laughed. _Fortis, a concubine?_ She had an amusing thought of Luna's fiancee, a man in his thirties, serving Luna grapes on bended knee while she sat lazing on a throne. "Erika, she says she's sent a present?" she asked once she'd stifled another giggle. She tried not to think about Livi or their wedding.

"Yes, milady, she's sent you a chest of silks. I've taken the liberty of sending it to the royal tailor, is that alright?"

"Mm, thanks," Nike said. "It's just like Luna to send something ridiculously luxurious," she added, setting the letter aside.

She'd write a thank you note later.

She picked up the next envelope. This one was written in a clumsy hand on much simpler paper. Nike had a feeling she knew who it was from and was not disappointed when she opened it and recognized Falaha's scrawl. It was shorter than Luna's and she scanned it quickly.

"Erika, can you summon Bard for me please? Tell him it's about sending aid to the Sand Kingdom."

"Very well, milady, I'll be right back." Erika set off down the hall, and Nike heard Neil make an annoyed sound from where he was sitting at Livi's desk. She ignored it.

She opened the last letter. The Rain Duchy's coat of arms was stamped into the wax. She blinked her tired eyes as she read and stifled a yawn. The letter was from her father, asking after her health, and it was quickly lulling her to sleep.

"You look tired, princess," Lanra said, braiding Nike's hair.

"I haven't slept in two days, Lanra. I'm not tired, I'm exhausted."

"Why don't you take a break, milady? Let the Prime Minister and Neil-sama handle it."

"Don't give her ideas, Lanra," Neil said, feverishly scribbling through his own paperwork. He normally worked in his own office, but Nike suspected he was keeping an eye on her. "Without His Majesty, we need her to get through our usual workload."

"I should have married into a small earldom somewhere," Nike muttered to herself as she began searching through her dictionary again.

"Don't let His Highness hear that."

"I'll say it _especially_ for him next time," she said loudly. Neil and Lanra pretended they didn't hear her.

Over the last few days, Livi's name had been nothing short of a taboo anywhere near the queen. Every time she heard it, she was liable to explode into a furious tirade and the weather took a nasty turn. Everyone thought she might never speak to him again.

Sometimes she thought she wouldn't either. It wasn't a lie that Nike was angry at Livi; she was upset that he left her to deal with all his work while he disappeared off on his own. She was fuming that he refused to write her, and more than a little miffed that he had ordered her confined to the castle by blackmailing her. But more than angry, she was concerned and hurt. Wherever he'd gone, she knew there was something important he hadn't told her. Something had wounded him, but instead of trusting her, he'd decided to carry the burden on his own.

 _I'm supposed to be his partner... But when it comes down to it, he's still hiding things from me..._

Her chest was constantly aching in a swirl of confused emotions these days. She was sick of it.

* * *

A month passed and no one heard from the king. As they edged into the second month of his absence, Nike began to bloom into her own as a ruler. She threw herself into her work as a way to stop thinking about Livi and though she was constantly tired and stressed, the imperial capital was awed at their queen's dedication.

She left most of the paperwork to the Prime Minister, but everything else she handled in person. Without Livi to keep her in check, the Queen of the Rain did things however she liked, and she wasn't one for ceremony or tradition. She abandoned her elegant gowns in favor of simple dresses and trousers, but she was fair and held audience every day. She constantly wore her sword at her hip and ran around the palace with bare feet, but she met with every ambassador and dignitary and attended every meeting, even when she had difficulties understanding what was going on. Her maids eventually grew tired of chasing after her with shoes in hand or of asking her not to jump out of the windows and contented themselves with making sure Nike was at least eating and bathing regularly and had something clean to wear each day. She stayed up late into the night, studying policy and languages and trying her best to deal with each political situation that arose, and she woke early to begin the whole cycle all over again.

* * *

"Ambassador, I know you're struggling with the shortage, but we just can't afford to send an entire resupply across the mountains," she argued as she stifled yet another yawn. The meeting between the ambassadors of the northern territories had been dragging out all morning.

"But Your Majesty, if you could just-"

"We really can't do that," Bard cut in. "We're struggling to meet our own production quota, it's impossible to export copper right now."

"Then how will we cut our losses?" another statesman intervened.

"The only thing we can promise you is financial support," Nike added, "But I'm afraid there's nothing much else we can do."

The door to the conference room opened quietly and Erika slipped in. She made her way past the arguing ambassadors and whispered to the queen.

"Your Highness, a priest is here to see you."

 _Ugh, again?_

"Thank you, Erika," she said softly. She turned to face the foreign dignitaries. "I'm sorry gentlemen, but I have another problem to attend to. I leave this matter in the capable hands of the Prime Minister," she nodded at Bard, who gave her a look of desperation. _Sorry Bard, hang in there._

Once in the hallway, Nike visibly abandoned her straight posture. Neil and Erika followed her as she dragged herself toward her office.

"Ugh, I want to sleep," she cried, plodding slowly along the hall. "Someone _please_ shut down the country for a few days!"

"You know we can't do that, Your Majesty," Neil said. "Though, you _do_ look a bit off-color."

"She hasn't been eating well, and the maids keep finding her in her study after midnight," Erika said. "You need a day off, milady."

"I can't, Bard will die," Nike groaned as she slumped against one of the decorative pillars in the corridor.

"With all due respect, Nike-sama, _you'll_ die if you don't take a day off." She pulled Nike up by the shoulders and hauled her down the hall as if it were nothing.

"Ugh, but these priests are so _persistent!"_

"I think they hoped you would be easier to manipulate than His Highness, Your Grace."

"Well clearly they were wrong," Neil sighed. "If the priests knew how to give up, we wouldn't still be arguing with them."

"You'd think a simple 'no' would suffice, but they keep coming back with all these proposals and complaints... I have no idea how Li-" Nike bit off the name and started again. "I have no idea how the king managed this alone for so long." She let Erika drag her along as she talked.

"Well His Majesty is very organized, and... oh for goodness sake, Nike-sama!" Neil exclaimed. The queen had given a very loud yawn. "This won't do, Erika. Take Her Majesty to her room, I'll tell the priest she's ill."

"No..." Nike complained sleepily. "I hafta tell 'im to stick a pole up 'is-"

"The last time you did that, we almost lost all our support in the church, milady. Go to bed, I'll handle this."

* * *

"Here you go, Your Majesty," Lanra said as she held out a cup of tea.

"Mmm, thank you," Nike said wearily. She was sitting in her bed, wrapped up in several blankets. It didn't snow in the Sun Kingdom, but winter was still cold and a warm cup of tea before bed felt like heaven.

Lanra busied herself by fluffing up the queen's pillows and comforter as Nike drank slowly. "You need to take better care of yourself, princess," she said as she worked. "Your eyes have dark circles all the time, and you're getting rather pale."

"I know. I just can't seem to find any time to rest."

"Well, you're going to have to," the maid said stubbornly, sweeping a lock of her black hair back into place as she smoothed the sheets. "If you get sick, His Majesty will have our heads."

Nike sighed. "So everyone says, but I still haven't heard a word from him. I don't know if he's safe or in trouble... and if I dropped dead tomorrow I don't think he'd even..."

"Oh, princess, please don't cry," Lanra said quickly, sitting down next to the queen and holding out a handkerchief. Nike touched her cheek and was surprised to find that it was wet.

"Ah, sorry Lanra," she said, accepting the handkerchief timidly. "I didn't mean to..."

"I know, miss," Lanra said kindly. "I know it's been hard for you. Don't think we haven't noticed when you fall asleep crying, or when you have a bad nightmare and can't calm down. We understand why you've been working so hard, Nike-sama. But you need to stay strong. For the both of you."

"Mm, but if I could just see him... if I could just know he was okay..."

"I wasn't talking about His Majesty, princess."

Nike blinked, confused. A few seconds later her mouth opened in shock.

"Y-you knew? Since when?!"

"Oh please, we haven't been your maids all these years for nothing, Nike-sama," Lanra grinned. "You should be ashamed, thinking you could hide it from us. Mikia figured it out almost immediately. You should have seen her when she came to tell us."

"Ugh, seriously?" She fell back into bed and covered her face with her arms. She should have known better. "How much money did she make?" she asked, her voice muffled.

"Ah so you knew about the gambling..." Lanra said sheepishly.

"Like you said, you haven't been my maids all these years for nothing."

"Well she didn't win a single coin, miss. We might make wagers for fun among the servants, but Mikia, Sunya, and I are your personal maids. We'd never tell if you didn't want us to," she sniffed proudly.

"Really?"

"Really."

Nike peeked through her arms and groaned.

"What am I gonna do, Lanra?"

"Well, I don't know, princess... But I think you made the right choice, not telling anyone."

"As if I could. With everything that's happened...? And we never even caught that assassin; the last thing I want is to give them another reason to murder me in my own bed."

"Yes... Things would be different if the king were here..."

Nike felt her throat tighten at the thought of him. _Livi..._

"For now, Nike-sama, we promise we won't tell anyone. We three will keep an eye on you. No more skipping meals, got it? And you have to sleep; we'll come up with excuses for you if you need them. And..." Lanra reached out to stroke her mistress' hair gently. "Keep your hopes up, milady. His Majesty loves you, no matter what."

Nike sniffed, tears pooling down her cheeks against her will.

"Mmm... Thank you, Lanra. Really... Thank you."

"It's nothing at all, Your Highness. Now, you need to rest." Lanra closed the curtains to block out the sunlight.

"Okay... Oh, and Lanra?"

"Yes, princess?"

"How much money did _you_ make?"

"Oh, about thirty sols. Mikia wasn't as happy about _that_ , let me tell you. Sleep well, Nike-sama."

"Good night, Lanra."

The door closed quietly behind her.

* * *

She dreamt about him.

He was laughing at something she'd said as they walked through the gardens, hand in hand. His shirt was creased and covered in grass stains.

"Stop laughing," she said, cross.

"I can't believe you forgot her name! She looked so offended!"

"Don't remind me; I should have just asked instead of randomly picking a name," she sighed, rubbing her temple. "She'll probably never speak to me again."

"Eh, don't worry about it so much. It won't break our relations with her country, they need us as an ally."

"Still, I messed up."

"Yeah, you did. But everyone's used to it by now," he shrugged, grinning mischievously.

"Jerk."

"I am wounded, princess," he said, his voice purposefully melodramatic. "To think my own wife could be so cruel..."

"Yes yes, how you suffer, Sun King," she said, rolling her eyes.

"I do, I do," he said, trying not to laugh. "I'd feel better with a kiss though."

"Too bad then, there are no kisses for people who make fun of their wives."

"I'm pretty sure you kissed me like an hour ago."

"That was before you said everyone was used to me messing up," she said, looking away in feigned anger.

"Okay, but, yesterday I said you were a clumsy idiot and you kissed me goodnight anyway."

"Sh-shut up, that was yesterday."

"What if I said I'd die unless you kissed me?"

"Then I'd say you're a bloody liar."

"Mean!"

"I didn't kiss you for the entire ten years of your life before we met, and you didn't die, right?"

"Yes but then I got _addicted_ , and that's your fault."

"That's it, I'm never kissing you again. Ever."

"I see... I guess I'll have to give up then."

Nike was about to comment on how easily he'd admitted defeat when he stood up on his tiptoes and kissed her.

"Hey! You just said-!"

"Yeah, I'm giving up on you kissing me," he said, his face still close. "But I never said anything about _me_ kissing _you_."

"Ughhhh, you, _you...!"_

Livi laughed and ran off.

"Come back here, you brat!"

Laughter echoed through the garden as a gentle breeze blew through the trees.

* * *

 _I'm sorry, Livi. I couldn't protect you. I couldn't stop whatever it is that took you away._

 _And... I'm sorry that I haven't taken care of myself. But I promise, until you come back, I'll protect your country, and I'll protect this child._

 _So... hurry home, Livi. Please, come home. I want to see you._


	8. A Visitor

His head was killing him. He could feel the blood pumping behind his eyes, and every little sound felt like a clash of thunder in his ears.

 _If only it really was thunder._

"Your Highness, the Earl would like to see you."

 _The Earl can fucking drop dead._

"I have a migraine, tell him to come tomorrow."

"Milord said he is tired of your excuses, Your Majesty," the servant said coldly.

 _If they were just excuses, I'd have come up with a better one than a migraine._

"I. Am. Indisposed." Livi snarled, his temper already pushed to its limits.

"The Earl told me to remind you that you are in no situation to decline."

 _I'll fucking kill you all, just you wait..._

"Fine, hurry it up already," he relented, gritting his teeth.

The servant left, and a few moments later the Earl walked in.

"Good evening, Your Majesty."

"What do you want, Dainer?"

Lord Dainer raised an eyebrow. "Is that any way to treat your host?"

Livi gave an angry bark of laughter. "Host? Really?"

"Of course, sire. You are an honored guest at this estate."

"You better hope I never get free, Dainer, or I swear I'll shoot you myself."

"Tsk, such a temper. I hope you remember what is at stake, Your Highness. Unless you no longer care about your pretty little princess?"

 _I'll rip your tongue from your mouth, you bastard._

"Nike can take care of herself," he snarled.

"Oh I'm sure she can. She's like a wild animal, that one, I wouldn't be surprised if she was an impostor pretending to be royalty."

" _Shut up_."

"Now now, no need to be rude, sire. I'll remind you, in case you've forgotten, that even a wild animal can be shot down with enough time and a patient hunter. That, I can assure you, has not changed."

"Enough, get to the point," Livi said begrudgingly, his head threatening to burst.

"Very well. Until now, we haven't pushed you to fulfill your part of the bargain."

 _Bargain?! You call blackmail and kidnap a bargain?! You fucking snake!_

"You've been treated graciously as our guest for the last month-" (Livi almost threw his glass of wine at him but the thought of Nike stayed his hand) "hoping that the... circumstances... would convince you to act first. But clearly you have not, and time is running out, Your Majesty."

"What, did she go crying to you? I should have known better than to trust a fox's daughter," he spat, referring to the brooch on Dainer's lapel.

"You're mistaken, sire. Talea has covered up for you every single time. Not once has she said anything we didn't want to hear. Unfortunately, one of her maids overheard her talking to you about it. I never thought she would betray her family. I wasn't planning to, but she was punished quite harshly for lying to us."

Livi thought he'd never felt more hatred than he did toward the man currently sitting across the table.

"You'll find she won't be covering for you anymore, Your Highness. So if you want your princess to live, I trust you'll follow through. We'll be keeping a close watch on you. And on Talea. Don't disappoint me, Sun King."

After he left, Livi smashed his glass against the door.

* * *

"Your Majesty, Her Highness, Princess Amaluna, is here to see you."

"Excellent, let her in," Nike said, folding the ear of the book she was reading.

"Nike!" A small blonde hurricane threw itself straight at her.

"Ooof, I'm happy to see you too, Luna," Nike laughed as the younger girl clung to her. "But, um, I kind of can't breathe..."

"Oh, sorry." Luna let go and seemed to remember her manners. She gave a quick curtsy. "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Majesty. It is an honor to see you once again."

"Ugh, no quit it," Nike said, waving her hand in distaste. "It's bad enough having to hear everyone in the castle acting all formal, the last thing I want is my friends to start doing it too."

"Oh in that case... By the way, what in the world are you wearing?!"

"Huh? What's wrong with my clothes?" Nike asked, looking down at her navy one piece.

"It's so... plain. Aren't you the queen of the world?!"

"Queens get tired and cold too," Nike said defensively. "This dress is warm and easy to move in, and I can wear trousers under it without looking ridiculous."

"Depends what you think looking ridiculous is," Luna muttered. "Whatever, if you want to drag Livi's name through the mud, it's not my problem."

"Hey..." She'd almost forgotten how blunt Luna was.

"Anyway, where is he? I thought he'd be in here with you." She looked around, as if half expecting Livi to crawl out from behind his empty desk or one of the bookshelves.

"Ah... Livi's away on business, I'm afraid."

"What, seriously?" Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "He's not avoiding me, is he?"

Nike almost laughed at Luna's serious expression. "Nah, he's just busy dealing with some trade contracts or something up north. I don't know the details," she lied. Luna looked convinced.

"Oh, will he be back before I return to my country?"

"I dunno, hopefully," Nike said, giving the princess an innocent smile. "But forget Livi, look at you! You've gotten so tall since I last saw you!"

Luna beamed and spun around for Nike to admire.

"Right? I'm almost a full grown woman, don't you think?"

"Mmm, it's two years until you're fifteen, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Well, age doesn't really matter when you're royalty, but it's still nice to be recognized as an adult. And, my parents agreed that fifteen is a good age to fulfill my engagement, so I guess I'll be married then."

"Haha, I bet Fortis is looking forward to that."

"Ugh, I think he'll just be disappointed," Luna scowled. "He keeps reminding me that I can break the engagement off whenever I like if I change my mind. It's like he _wants_ me to break it! What, is he not interested once I stop being a child?"

"He's probably just looking out for you, Luna," Nike said as she took a seat at the tea table. She motioned for Luna to sit as well. "You were so young when you entered into that engagement, I'm sure he's just worried that you'll grow out of it."

"Well I've told him I won't, but he doesn't believe me," she huffed, resting her cheek on her palm. "Men."

"Seriously."

They sighed in unison.

"Milady, I've brought tea."

"Oh, thanks Mikia."

Mikia set down a large platter of biscuits and cookies, followed by a set of matching teacups, plates, and cutlery. She gave Nike a sharp look, and Nike nervously took the hint. She took a plate and piled it generously with cookies, aware that the maid was watching her carefully.

 _Look, I'm eating okay? Please stop glaring, Mikia..._

She'd skipped breakfast, and the maids were not happy about it.

 _If they only understood how stupidly nauseous I am..._

Nevertheless, she forced herself to take a bite. Luna didn't seem to notice the silent exchange between Nike and her maid as she stirred sugar into her tea.

"So what's being married like?" Luna asked nonchalantly. Nike almost choked.

"It's fine," she said, hoarsely as she coughed as discreetly as possible. "Not that different from before."

"Well you guys were always together even before you got married," Luna said. "It was almost disgusting really."

"That's mean, Luna..."

"Well, it _was_ cute too, I guess. You guys were sharing a bedroom for ages, so I guess nothing much changed, right?"

"Ah, well, yeah, pretty much," Nike said, trying to smile normally. It came out as a grimace. Luna was picking all the topics Nike wanted to avoid most.

"Hmm? What's with that face?" Luna frowned, pointing her spoon at Nike. "Wait, don't tell me you _still_ haven't done it!"

Nike spat out her tea.

"WHY WOULD YOU ASK THAT?"

"I was right?!" Luna looked like she'd simultaneously stumbled upon an early birthday gift and seen something ridiculous. "What is wrong with you two?! Don't tell me Livi is-"

" _NO._ Nothing like that!"

"Then what, is he really bad at it or-"

"Please stop, Luna!" Nike hid her face in her hands and positively began to wail in horror. Mikia frantically searched her pockets for a handkerchief as her mistress fell into what was clearly an unfortunate overreaction, courtesy of her condition.

"Oh my gods, I'm so sorry, I had no idea it was so bad," Luna said, shocked. "Uhm, forget what I said, why don't we go play racquetball or something?"

Nike nodded through the handkerchief Mikia finally handed her, sniffling.

* * *

The whip sliced through the air with a whistle and Talea dug her nails into her palms as her back was flayed open, lash by lash. She was too used to the pain to scream, but she was never able to hold back her whimpering or her tears, no matter how many times her father punished her.

"How dare you betray this family?!" he roared, punctuating each syllable with a new strike. "How _dare_ you, you ungrateful little _bitch?"_

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she cried as the beating continued.

"Who do you think has raised you all these years?! Who do you think has fed you, educated you, allowed you to live in luxury?! And this is how you repay us?! Your own mother and father?!"

A rather savage blow knocked the breath from her lungs. She shrieked.

"You _will_ do your duty, Talea Dainer! Swear it!"

"Yes, yes, I'll do it! I'm sorry, so sorry!" she sobbed.

 _I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I'm so sorry, milady. I failed you both._

* * *

"He didn't actually say that, did he?" Luna croaked, breathless with laughter.

"Oh, he did! He really did!" Nike said, clutching a stitch in her side. "And then, he actually made us play, if you can believe it!"

"Oh my gods, you lost!"

"I did, and then they just shipped me off!" They howled in laughter, slapping the mattress as they tried to catch their breath.

"Your family almost makes mine seem normal!" Luna screeched.

"For the ten days I was out at sea I was so mad! My sisters were so damn smug too! They kept saying the Sun King was an old man with horns and bad breath, but that I should be happy because as his wife I'd be a celebrity!"

"Oh, I can't breathe, stop stop!"

The door banged open.

" _Milady, please!_ " Lanra hissed.

"Ah, ah, I'm sorry," Nike said, trying and failing superbly at holding her laughter.

"You have an early day tomorrow, you need _rest!"_

"Okay, okay," Nike said, taking deep gulps of air. "We'll sleep, we'll sleep right away," she said, calming down.

Lanra frowned and closed the door.

"Ah, sorry Luna, I think it's bedtime."

"Jeez, your maids sure are nosy," Luna said, finally catching her breath. She pulled the covers up over them both.

"They mean well, I've just been really busy," Nike said, yawning.

"I bet, you're handling all of Livi's work until he gets back, right?"

"Mmm, yeah. It's tiring. I hardly... get any... sleep..."

"What are you, a middle aged woman?" Luna said, poking Nike's cheek.

"I dunno... just so... tired... all of a... sudden..."

"No wonder you and Livi never do anything," Luna muttered, but Nike was already fast asleep. "Oh well, she seems cheerful enough. Good night, Nike."

* * *

Livi couldn't help wanting to vomit. He'd seen his fair share of cruelty and violence in his life, but never had he seen something like this up close.

Talea's back was bloody and matted, huge, broken welts crisscrossing across her skin. She'd been half-carried to the bed, and she had to lie stock still on her stomach with her back exposed to avoid opening up the scabs that had begun to cover the open wounds.

"What the _fuck_ is this?!" he shouted at the maid who had escorted her. The red-headed girl hung her head low, shaking her head in distress. "Answer me!"

"She... she was whipped, Your Highness," she said, her voice trembling. "I... I didn't know... I was just..." she suddenly started crying.

"It's not your fault, Rosalind," Talea whispered, straining her neck so the maid could hear. "You were new, you were just following orders..."

"But, I saw all your scars... I just thought you'd had an... an accident! I'm so sorry, milady, I didn't know!"

"It was my fault, don't worry," Talea gave a pained smile. "I deserved it." Livi felt a bottomless pit of hatred open up in his stomach.

 _"Deserved it?!"_ He was shaking with fury. "For telling a white lie?!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," she said evenly, flinching slightly as her lungs expanded as she spoke. "I deserve every wound. But not for betraying my father," she added, closing her eyes. "I deserve it for betraying you, Your Highness. I'm sorry, but I also want Nike-sama to live."

The fight went out of him as suddenly as it came. Her words were as good as a death sentence. His only ally had deserted him, and he couldn't blame her. As soon as Talea recovered, he knew there really was no choice but to comply with the Earl's plan.

He sunk to his knees and something inside him broke.

* * *

"Good morning, princesses."

"Ugh, who let that _thing_ in here?" Luna growled. She was reading on the chaise in the royal study while Nike worked.

"As kind as ever, Princess Luna," Bard said, obviously hurt by the comment.

"Oh, morning Bard." the queen said, not looking up from her documents. "Did you get those trade contracts?"

"I have them right here, Nike-chan."

"Hand 'em over," she said, tying her hair back into a ponytail as she read.

"You work too hard, Nike," Bard said, placing the documents on the desk. "You're no genius, unlike Livi. It must be difficult."

"Thanks, Bard," she said, giving him a deadpan look. "That just made my day _so_ much easier."

"You're welcome," he replied cheerily. The sarcasm seemed to go right over his head but Nike knew he was just being a tease.

"You two are so obviously related," she huffed, picking up the contracts.

"If you're done, hurry up and get out," Luna said impatiently, throwing her book at Bard.

"Hey! Be careful with that! You almost hit my face!"

"That was the point, you stupid womanizer."

"Nike, she's being mean to me!"

"Luna, don't throw things. And Bard, get out. I'm too busy to deal with you two at each other's throats all day."

Luna flashed a victorious smile at the Prime Minister.

"Fine," he conceded. "But I think you'll want to know, Nike-chan," he added as he opened the door. "Yoru was just seen circling the northern tower."

He left, closing the door behind him.


	9. The White Gold Tower

Sororu was supposed to be running an errand to the kitchen when he was distracted by a commotion in the falconry tower. He stood just outside the door and peered in to find all the workers shouting at something that was on top of the pigeon alcove.

"Oh, Yoru!" he said, surprised. The bird hadn't been seen around the castle since His Majesty had left. He completely forgot about his job as he watched the falconers try to get him down from his roost.

"Sororu, have they caught him?"

The young page jumped at the sound of his name and almost fell over as the queen approached at a run with Princess Luna on her heels.

He went beet red at having been caught slacking.

"Your Majesty! Ah, you mean Yoru, right? He's on top of the pigeon alcoves and they've been trying to coax him down," he said, avoiding Nike's eye. She gave his blond hair a quick pat as thanks and went in.

"Ah, Nike-sama!" Freya, the head falconer, shouted over the racket the carrier pigeons and falcons were making. Several of the other falconers stopped to give the princess a quick salute before returning to their jobs. Nike looked up at the huge, wooden pigeon alcove to see Yoru's golden plumage only just peeking out over the edge. One of the workers had climbed a ladder, trying to get him down.

"Ack, bloody bird," he swore. "He pecked me!"

"You can't just grab 'im like that, stupid! Yoru's a right royal, you gotta treat 'im like one!" one of his fellows shouted.

"Well how in blazes am I supposed to treat a bird like a prince?!"

"Give 'im a treat, but don't patronize 'im. He's damn smart, he don't appreciate being treated like an idiot."

The man on the ladder grumbled to himself as he pulled a seed cake from his pockets. "Be a royal falconer, they said... You just gotta train the birds, they said... No one said nothing 'bout being pecked half to death every day, or dealing with spoiled birds who fancy themselves royalty..." He offered the seed cake as bait, but clearly Yoru understood what he'd said because he pecked him again. Nike tried not to look too amused as the falconer pulled off his leather gloves and threw them to the ground in anger.

"Idiots," Freya said as she came up to the queen, frowning at her subordinates with her hands on her hips. She was in her forties, and she'd been working in the royal falconry tower long before Livi had inherited the throne. Years spent training messenger and hunting birds had given her a distinctly windswept look, only accented by the feathers constantly tangled in her hair. It had also given her a rather sharp tongue. "He flew in a few minutes ago, but as you can see, these sad excuses for falconers are botching up any attempt to catch him and retrieve his letter," she said without prompting.

"So he _does_ have a letter?" Nike asked, aware her voice sounded slightly breathless. _Calm down, Nike... Don't get your hopes up..._

"Well, I dunno if it's a letter exactly, but there's a scroll tied to his leg alright. Except now these pathetic new recruits have pissed him off and he won't come down for anybody," Freya said, her voice full of scorn. "Next time we're hiring, I'm telling His Majesty to send me only _experienced_ falconers, not these pitiful lugs." She spat on the floor. "Our carrier pigeons have never been more skittish, and we've never had to take so long just to untie letters! Imagine, a whole half hour, wasted chasing a pigeon around! Whatever happened to _training_ the birds? And forget the actual _falcons!_ If any of these morons get anywhere near 'em they'll lose their eyes a hell of a lot quicker than they can catch a pigeon!" Nike decided to cut in before the experienced falconer worked herself up into a rant.

"Um, Freya, mind if I try?"

"Be my guest, Your Highness," the older woman shrugged. "If we can't get him down, you're the only one who can."

"Yoru!" she called loudly over the squawking and cooing of the other birds. She saw the golden bird deliberately look over the edge of the alcove to see who had called his name. Nike gave him a friendly whistle. "Yoru, can you come down, please?"

At the sight of his mother's partner, Yoru gave a pleased chirp and glided down to land on Nike's head.

"Oh, very nicely done, Your Grace," Freya said appreciatively.

"Yoru is a good child," Nike said, offering her finger for the bird to nip at. "But, let's just say that it's obvious who raised him," she grinned. She was still upset at the thought of Livi, but the familiar sight of Yoru, whom she had always babied, had greatly improved her mood."Now, let's get that message off your leg, hmm?"

Yoru hopped down onto her shoulder and waited patiently while Freya untied the little scroll of parchment.

"Wow, he's really well tamed," Luna observed, edging closer. The last time she'd seen Yoru was when he was still just a little chick.

"I wouldn't call him that if I were you, Luna," Nike warned, just in time for Luna to pull her hand back and avoid an angry peck. "Yoru isn't tamed, he's actually incredibly intelligent." _And he's going to keep growing smarter, and larger too, if what Livi said is true._

"Yeesh, no need to get so temperamental," the little princess muttered darkly as Yoru gave her a death glare.

"Ha, you two will get along fine."

"There we go," Freya said, stroking Yoru's head gently as thanks once the paper came free. She handed the scroll to Nike and offered her leather-clad arm to the bird. "Now let's get you some food, water, and a well deserved rest, little one. It must have been tiring, dealing with these incompetent idiots, wasn't it?" she crooned, and Yoru nodded in agreement as he hopped onto the falconer's wrist and allowed himself to be carried away.

"She's like the bird whisperer," Luna said in awe.

"And that's why she's our head falconer and why we entrust her with all our carrier pigeons," Nike said. "Why don't you head down to the baths, Luna? I've got to finish some work now, so I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

"Alright, I'll go find Akney," Luna said, shrugging. "Let me know if Livi says he's coming back before I go home next week." Nike nodded and smiled. She waited for Luna to leave before turning the scroll in her hands, looking for the addressee. Finally, she found it.

She saw the name, read it once more for good measure, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

 _Great._

* * *

Neil hadn't heard the news about Yoru. He had been so engrossed in his work that he'd scarcely touched his breakfast, never mind heard the morning gossip. He was therefore caught entirely off guard when Princess Nike pushed the door open and tossed a scroll of parchment at him without so much as a greeting.

"It's from your lover," she said in a dead voice, looking so defeated that he worried she might keel over. She walked over to the chaise and threw herself down, her back to him. She didn't even bother to unbuckle her sword from her belt.

"Milady, I don't have a lover," he said, perplexed.

"Just read it," came her muffled voice. "And tell me what it says."

Neil blinked and looked at the missive he'd been given. It was still held closed with wax, but Neil didn't have to look at the seal to know who it was from.

 _To Neil, Head Chamberlain of the Imperial Palace, Ginitarix,_ it read in a familiar script.

 _Oh no, I'm dead._

Apprehensively, he tore the seal and unfurled the parchment. It was a short message.

 _Neil,_ _The queen's household is to be moved to the White Gold Tower, effective immediately. She is not to leave under any circumstances. All matters of state not directly concerning her should be handed over to Bard, and you will be appointed her head of household. She may have no more than ten servants apart from you. Disobey, and your life is forfeit._ _Livius Orvitas Ifriquiya, First of His Name, King of the Sun, and Emperor of the World_

 _I'm dead. I'm dead, dead, dead. If His Majesty doesn't kill me, Princess Nike will. My head will be put on a pike, on display for all to see from the castle walls, and that ambitious vixen Erika will waltz into my office first thing tomorrow morning._

He had a vivid mental image of Erika triumphantly throwing his belongings out the window as she danced gracefully around the room.

 _Dearest Sun God, if You're there, my Lord, please just smite me dead now._

No heavenly bolt of light struck him down, nor did a fearsome pyre burn him to ashes in an instant. He didn't even break out in a mild fever.

 _Of course. Even God abandons me in my moment of need._

"Um, Your Highness..."

"Just tell me what it says, Neil. Whatever it is, I don't even care anymore," Nike said tonelessly. She shifted further into the chaise so that she was sinking into it face down.

He was baffled by her behavior; normally she'd be furious. Then again, Her Majesty had been going through rather severe mood swings over the past few weeks. He suspected that the strain of Livius' absence and the stress of running an empire was finally showing.

 _Poor Nike-sama..._

He hesitated. She was already dealing with so much, wouldn't it be cruel to add insult to injury...?

"Are you sure...?"

 _Not that I actually have a choice..._

She didn't even speak, she just lifted her arm slightly and made a "get on with it," motion.

"Uh, if you're certain..." He rolled and unrolled the scroll in his hands nervously. "I'm afraid His Majesty has ordered you... exiled... to the White Gold Tower."

Silence.

"N...Nike-sama?"

Another long pause.

"Best pack then," she said, lifting herself up.

"Your Majesty? But... aren't you upset?"

"Upset? Neil, I crossed the line between upset and furious weeks ago. But there's really nothing I can do, unless I wanted to destroy the castle..."

He gulped.

"Ugh I can't believe you think I'd actually destroy the palace," she huffed when she saw his expression. "I'm not _that_ upset. Not at the castle, anyway. I'll deal with Livi when I actually get my hands on him. Now give me that letter so I can see what needs to be done before I go."

* * *

The White Gold Tower was in a secluded part of the castle grounds. To reach it, one had to walk a long distance into the woods on the western edge of the castle moat. It was possible to go by carriage, but since almost no one ventured that far, the road had fallen into disrepair.

It was more of a small fortress than a tower, she thought as the building came into view. The stones were a lovely white, and with age they had taken on a cream color. Several windows had been covered over with cloth to hide the broken glass panes, ivy ran rampant over the stone, and it looked quite the worse for wear. This was actually the second time that Nike had been here, and though she thought the place had a bit of charm, there was a strong sense of sadness permeating the very air.

Livi had been born in the tower. He and his mother, Sheila, had lived there quietly for years in isolation. At least, they had, until she was assassinated while trying to protect him.

It was not a happy place, and Nike couldn't help thinking about the last woman who had been sent to live in the tower. As her carriage stopped in front of the iron gates, she wondered how Sheila had felt when she'd seen the tower for the first time.

 _Did she know? Did she know she would be trapped here for the rest of her life? I wonder... what kind of fate do I have here?_

She pulled her cloak on to protect herself from the cold and stepped out of the coach, wooden trunk in hand.

The move had been delayed until Princess Luna returned to her country. It had been a unanimous decision between Nike, Bard, and Neil to keep the knowledge of the Sun King's absence within the realm of domestic affairs. An international incident was unthinkable, so as much as Nike hated lying to her friend, she agreed it was best to keep Luna in the dark for the rest of her visit. Nike's household moved in first, taking their belongings in increments each day so as not to rouse too much suspicion. Once Luna left for home, Nike and Neil wrapped up the last of their business in the castle and followed suit.

"Well, I guess this is home, now, Neil," she said as he dismounted and sent the driver on his way.

"Y-yes, seems so," he said dejectedly. Neil's worst nightmare had come true; while he'd been moved to the middle of nowhere to serve the queen, Erika had been left behind as his replacement. When she had been given clearance to use the Head Chamberlain's office, Neil actually wept. Nike wasn't sure he would ever speak to her aide again.

Nike ran her hand over the stone wall.

"It's the color of ivory, don't you think?" Nike said, still deep in thought.

"Ivory, milady?"

"Oh, isn't there any ivory in the Sun Kingdom?"

"I'm afraid not, Your Highness. The word is foreign to me."

"Well..." she said, lifting her hand away and pulling the latch to open the gate. "In the Duchy, we have these beautiful, ancient carvings. They're a cream color, like this. White, but almost yellow, and they're carved with so much detail that it's amazing any human could have made them. Some are very small, and they're used as jewelry or decoration, but we also have much bigger pieces. A lot of them are talismans, or statues. Our history says that our ancestors made these carvings from the tusks of huge animals that once lived in our land." She stopped talking for a second to haul her trunk up a small set of stairs. "It seems that ivory was so valuable that our ancestors drove all the animals to extinction, but you can still find ivory carvings everywhere. They're in our ruins, our palace, anywhere in our country, if you care to look. I'm sure you saw some when you were visiting with Livi."

"Huh, perhaps I did, though I can't recall," he said pensively.

"The thing about ivory, though," she continued as they walked down what must have once been a garden path. "Is that it holds a special significance to us. You see, our ancestors valued these beautiful tusks far more than they did the animals who they killed. The more they killed, the rarer ivory became, and the more valuable. And then one day, there were no more animals. They say the gods punished us for it, though no one seems to agree on what they did," Nike gave a grim chuckle. "Some say they sent a plague, others a flood, but the most popular version of the story says that the animals we killed were the only creatures that kept a dangerous, man-eating animal at bay. Nevertheless, once it was over, all we had were the tusks, littered around us, to remind us of what we'd done. And scattered with them were the remains of countless human bones. Our ancestors couldn't tell them apart."

"That's a rather terrible story, Nike-sama..."

"Isn't it? Ivory has a dark past, and it holds countless memories of suffering and death. We hold on to our ivory relics to remind ourselves of the terrible price we paid for them," she said, looking up at the tower. "But the other side of the story is that ivory is also beautiful and sacred. Countless animal lives were expended to create it, so it's a very dear material to the gods. In that way, even something steeped in blood and hate can be precious." She stopped at the foot of the front stairway, imagining Livi running across the garden as a child. She imagined Sheila holding his chubby little hand, imagined her scooping him up in her arms to kiss his face. She imagined his horror when he found her, broken and bloody, gone forever.

"Nike-sama?"

"You know, Neil... Whenever I've thought about that story, I've always wondered if, sometimes, the outcome is worth a heavy price."

Neil followed her gaze and knew she wasn't thinking about ivory anymore.

"You say this tower is the same color as those tusks?"

"Yes, we call this color ivory, just like the material."

"I see. Then maybe this tower also has two sides, milady. Though, I think you'll have to decide for yourself if the price outweighs the outcome here."

"I think you're right," she said, and when she closed her eyes, she thought she heard the sound of someone screaming and crying. Beneath it, she was sure she also heard the unmistakable sound of laughter.

 _Have we already paid the price? Or are we still paying it now?_

She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.

The sound of a door shutting somewhere brought her back to reality.

"Well, as much as I'd like to stand around here and philosophize all day, Neil, I'd much rather prefer it if you'd help me carry this damned trunk up these stairs."

* * *

"Princess! Welcome home." Lanra and Mikia rushed to meet their mistress as she crossed into the hall.

"Hello," Nike said, allowing the maids to take her cloak. "Has everyone else moved in?" Besides Nike's usual retinue, the queen's household now consisted of a couple of scullery maids, a cook, one butler, a medic, and of course, Neil.

"Yes, milady," Mikia answered. "We're just missing you and-"

"Neil-sama," Lanra finished, slamming the front door ominously behind him as he dragged Nike's trunk in.

"Eh? What's going on?" he asked, adjusting his glasses as he straightened up. He didn't seem to have noticed the sudden chill in the air.

"Do you _have_ to do it like this?" Nike asked, yawning as the maids exchanged identical grins.

"Don't spoil the fun, princess," Lanra said as she took one of Neil's arms.

"We've already asked the medic to wait in the parlor," Mikia said as she took the other arm.

"Wait, what is this?! Nike-sama, what in the world...?!"

"You two are enjoying yourselves way too much," she said, ignoring Neil's questions. "I'm going to take a nap, okay? Which is my room?"

"First door to the right at the top of the stairs, princess," Mikia called as she and Lanra proceeded to drag Neil across the hall.

"W-where are you taking me?! _Milady! MILADY!"_

His screams died away as she found the staircase and began to climb.

* * *

Her room was empty but for her bed and her wardrobe. Normally she would have explored a bit, but she was tired and Nike wasted no time in curling up under the clean sheets, even though she was fully clothed.

Her stomach made a rumbling noise, but she was so sleepy that she could hardly keep her eyes open.

 _I guess it's about time for lunch,_ she thought as she started to drift off. _The maids will yell at me... if I don't... eat..._

 _"You, skipping meals?! I can't believe it."_

 _Eating makes me feel sick lately._

 _"Where did your monstrous appetite go, huh?"_

 _I don't know. It feels gross to eat._

 _"Hmm, then how about we ask Jaina to make you something that's easy to eat? Oh, like that porridge you make whenever I get sick!"_

 _That might be nice..._

 _"C'mon, where's my energetic princess, hmm?"_

 _She's asleep, come back later._

 _"No, none of that. You promised, you know? C'mon, get up. Up you get, Nike."_

 _Stop it, I'm so tired..._

 _"You have to get up, princess. Please, for me?"_

 _But you're not here anymore..._

 _"Maybe not, but you can hear me, right?"_

 _Mmm._

 _"Then, doesn't that mean something? Anything?"_

 _I don't know._

 _"Agh, quit being so hopeless, dear wife. It's not like you."_

 _Heh, maybe not. By the way, I'm going to kill you when you get back._

 _"Ha, there you go, that's my Nike."_

 _I'm serious._

 _"I know you are."_

 _Livi..._

 _"Hmm?"_

 _No... it's nothing._

 _"Good. If you're done, hurry up and go eat. It's time to wake up, princess."_


	10. Star Crossed Lovers

His eyes blinked reluctantly open in the harsh sunlight. He groaned and turned to bury his face in his pillow.

 _Nike..._

His dream was quickly slipping away, trickling through his fingers like sand. No matter how tightly he tried to hold on, only one thing stayed clear: he was sure it had been about her.

He let his memories wash him away, back to where she waited, a bright smile on her face and a bittersweet song on her lips.

 _I want to see her. I_ need _to see her. I want to go home to her._

But the eyes that met his when he finally looked up were dark brown, not green.

"Your Majesty, you're crying."

Immediately, Livi reached to wipe his tears.

"Sorry," he said, his voice shaking. _Get a hold of yourself, Livius._

"No, please don't apologize," Talea said. There was a faraway look in her eyes as she sat up, wrapped in her blanket. A few dark bloodstains had formed where the white fabric touched her back.

He thought he'd steeled himself, but he still felt a fresh wave of guilt overwhelm him.

"Are you okay?"

He saw her automatically tighten her hold on the blanket.

"I'm fine, Your Majesty."

 _You don't have to lie, I can see how hard you're trying._

"I know I said there wasn't any turning back, but I'm still sorry. It must have hurt."

"Apologizing doesn't become you, Livius," she said, smiling sadly. "Weren't we going to hell and back?"

"Yes, but until you recover, I promise I won't touch you again." He sat up and swept her hair back, so that the side of her neck was exposed. "Sorry for this, Talea," he said quietly, leaning in to press his lips to her skin. He heard her make a pained noise as he left his mark. "If he asks, show him that. It should be enough to satisfy your father for the time being."

She put a hand over the kiss mark as he pulled away.

"Thank you, Livius."

"We're lovers now, so don't thank me. Oh and the next time you come, we're playing cards."

* * *

She would never admit it to His Majesty, but Talea was in constant agony.

It had been years since she'd had a whipping this severe, and her father had not held back. She could hardly walk, even days later, and it was all she could do to stop herself from limping when she returned to her room that morning.

"Milady, I have to treat your wounds before you rest," Rosalind said as soon as Talea sat on the bed. Every morning and every night, the wounds had to be cleaned to prevent them from becoming infected. Horrified at her unwilling betrayal, Rosalind insisted on doing this herself, as penance. She tried hard to be gentle, but even the soft dabbing of the wet cloth and the medicine was enough to make Talea wail in anguish.

As Rosalind prepared the water basin, Talea stretched out on her stomach, ignoring the sharp pain in her body. Her thoughts turned to the promise she and the king had made the night before.

 _I'm not my father's pawn anymore. Even if I have to walk down the path he chose for me, I won't let him control me. This is my decision._

* * *

Livi answered the door around midnight. He had caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror earlier and he knew he looked completely unprepared for visitors. He had dark circles under his eyes and his clothes were disheveled; there was a wine stain on his shirt and his hair was sticking up at the back. He didn't care anymore.

When he opened the door and saw Talea and her maid, his expression grew dark.

"You can't be serious," he said, addressing Rosalind. "In this condition?! What the hell is he _thinking?!_ "

"I... I don't know, Your Majesty," Rosalind said, her voice trembling in fear.

"That _bastard_ ," Livius muttered. He stepped aside reluctantly and allowed them in.

Rosalind stayed just long enough to help Talea take off her cloak and unbutton the back of her chemise. Once she was satisfied that her mistress wouldn't suffer too much from the cloth sticking to her back, the maid bowed and took her leave.

They stood awkwardly in front of the fire for a few minutes after the door closed, neither knowing what to say.

"I'm sleeping on the chaise," he said abruptly.

"Your Majesty, we can't..."

"Shut up, you think I don't know what's at stake?! You think I haven't been agonizing over it?! You have no idea how I feel!" Livi shouted, tearing at his hair in outrage. "A month ago I would have traded your life for hers gladly! I would have slit your throat myself if it meant I could guarantee Nike's safety."

He thought she might be shocked to hear that, but her expression remained blank. He clenched his fists and continued to yell at her, venting out his frustrations.

"But then you promised to help me, and you kept that oath. You found a way to protect her and you didn't hesitate to see it through. I selfishly let you lie for us, even though you knew much better than me what the consequences would be. How can I disregard your feelings when you've already suffered so much to prove your loyalty?! Even I'm not made of ice, Talea Dainer! I refuse to be part of this madness!"

He stalked over to the chaise and sat down, sinking his face into his hands. _Think, think! There has to be a way out! Dainer won't make the same mistake again; he's bound to post guards and spies to monitor us. Even if we make a show about it, I'm sure he'll find some cruel, twisted way to find out the truth. He's not above torturing either of us if he suspects we're not being honest. And if we're caught, I don't think he'll be giving us another chance. He's dangerous, and he's made it clear he hates Nike._

The thought of her ripped through his heart.

 _No, nothing will happen to her, I have to believe that. I have to protect her, and I have to protect Talea. I won't abandon an ally, not like this. Think, Livius!_

A warm weight settled next to him.

"Your Majesty, do you know the oath courtiers make when they enter the imperial palace?"

"Who do you think I am?! Of course I know," he snapped, annoyed at having his thoughts interrupted.

 _"For the Sun God, my country, and my king, I swear to serve and protect the royal family. I betray them at the price of my life and my life alone,"_ she recited.

"Pretty words that mean nothing," Livi spat, his hand still viciously tugging at his hair.

"Yes, just pretty words," Talea agreed, and Livi frowned. That wasn't what he'd expected her to say.

"When I made that oath, I didn't take it very seriously," she continued, flinching slightly as she shifted her weight. "I've always lived in a strict household, so I felt like I was just trading one master for another. I followed my father's orders and moved to court, where I would have to follow the royal family's orders instead."

"You..."

"Let me speak, Your Majesty," she said, holding up a hand. "I've never told anyone this, but as you can imagine, my sister and I grew up dreading being punished, more than most children. She was braver than me and every beating made her stronger and more defiant. She was always trying to protect me, but we were so far apart in age that she was sent away when I was still young. Once she was gone, I had to fend for myself. I learned to stay out of the way and do as I was asked. Just like that, I tried my best to be a courtier that no one would complain about. I wasn't interested in catching anyone's eye or begging favors. I just wanted to do my job quietly, on the sidelines, so no one would have reason to punish me."

He had a flashback of her standing off to one side whenever there was an event. Back then he'd assumed it was because she was dull and shy and he'd quickly forgotten all about her.

"Most people left me alone, but Princess Nike wouldn't let me do that," she said, smiling at the memory. "I'm sure she didn't know my circumstances, but she worried about me. She was always showing me something she thought was interesting, or introducing me to another courtier, or inviting me to do something with her. It was new to me, and I was awkward, but people in the palace started noticing me. Other ladies in waiting started asking me to paint together with them, the servants were happy for a pleasant chat, and people remembered my name. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had friends, like it was okay to have fun, and it was all thanks to Her Majesty."

"That's just like her," he said, sighing. "She sees someone struggling and she can't leave them alone." _That's how it was with me._

"Yes, she was very kind to me, and I regret not having more time to let her know how much I appreciated her companionship." Talea absentmindedly fidgeted with her hands as she talked.

"As you've seen, my parents don't think much of the princess. They look at her and all they see is an uncultured, insolent child who doesn't deserve the throne. But I know better. Princess Nike is vital to this country. She's brought stability and peace and she works hard to be a ruler worthy of leading us forward. But most importantly, if you pardon my rudeness, Your Majesty, she's also vital to you." She locked her eyes onto him. "Everyone knows you are a splendid king, Your Grace, but Princess Nike brings a balance our country needs. You provide the structure and the wisdom to run the kingdom fairly, but Nike-sama provides the empathy and charisma to inspire our loyalty. Any courtier can tell you how much brighter the future has become, both inside and outside the palace, because she's there at your side."

He couldn't help it. He burst into laughter.

"Ah, I guess all my planning wasn't just lip service after all," he chuckled. "I didn't have much confidence that it would work, but there we go. She owes me a date."

 _Building up that rhetoric of Nike as the opposite of the Sun was a good move, in the end. If only it had convinced everyone._

"Your Majesty?"

"Oh, it's nothing important. Sorry for interrupting."

"Not at all," she said. "I apologize for my rudeness." She looked pensively at the flickering flames in the fireplace for a moment. "Your Majesty, you may not believe me, but I'm deeply sorry for everything my family has done. When I saw you and Her Highness attacked at your wedding, I remember being filled with self hatred. I was a coward; I should never have abandoned you and fled for my own life. But Princess Nike didn't even think to blame me when I came to say my farewells. She was simply concerned about our safety. I've never felt so ashamed as I did when she thanked me sincerely for being her companion.

"I couldn't do anything for her then, and I promised myself I would protect her the next time. But I failed; I wasn't able to deceive my father. This is the only way left to help her."

He scoffed angrily.

"Complying with your father's wishes isn't going to help anyone but him," he seethed. "If he succeeds, he'll tear the country apart. Nike won't understand, we're still betraying her. She'll never believe us and your father will stop at nothing to send her back to the Rain Duchy."

"Maybe so, Your Highness, but if it means she'll be alive, if it means that someday, you might be able to see her again, shouldn't you take the option that gives you that chance?" She was digging her nails into her wrists but she didn't seem to notice the pain. "If I can save her life, I don't care if she hates me. I don't care if she curses me, I don't care if she thinks I've betrayed her. If she's alive, then I have done my part as her courtier and that's all that matters to me," she said, something fierce glinting deep within her eyes. It was a look he recognized, and suddenly he understood why she was doing this.

"You love her, don't you?" The color that flooded her cheeks was all he needed to confirm it.

"N-no... I...!"

"Ugh, damn it, I can't believe it... She's still more popular than me!" he gave a sharp bark of laughter and covered his face again. "Ugh, I'm so lame, I'm her husband, but while I've been running in circles, you're the one who's been thinking of her the most."

"Your Majesty, I'm sorry! Please don't think that I-"

"Don't apologize, you idiot," he said softly. "If there's anyone who understands what it's like to be saved by Nike, it's me."

An awkward silence fell between them. Talea avoided catching his eye.

"What a pair we are," Livi finally said, sighing loudly. "Two people in love with the same woman, stuck in this nightmare together. It's almost poetic... how ridiculous."

She gave a soft laugh. "When you put it that way, Your Majesty, it does seem ironic."

"Mmm," he agreed. "You know, you said your sister was the brave one, but I think you're wrong."

"Huh?"

"You've always been alone, but you never gave up. I don't see a coward when I look at you. All I see is a survivor. It takes one kind of nerve to fight, but it takes a whole other level to weather a storm to the end. You're the bravest woman I think I've ever met."

She blushed again.

"Thank you for bringing me to my senses... Talea." She looked startled; he had never called her by name before. "If it means we can save her, if it means she's still alive somewhere, then I'll gladly go to hell and back."

He stood up and offered her his hand.

"I'm sorry for what I'm about to do, but I beg you, Talea, help me protect Nike."

Gingerly, she put her hand in his and he helped her up. Though she was older than him, he was taller than her by a good deal.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"No, call me Livius. If we're going to hell, we're not going as a king and his subject. We're going as Livius and Talea, two equals willing to throw everything away to protect the person they love."

"But..." she hesitated.

"I'm not your king anymore," he insisted. "You owe me nothing. From now on, no matter what people think, we're partners."

"Y-yes... you're right... Livius."

He pressed his hand to her cheek and leaned down to kiss her gently, careful not to make her strain her back.

"This is a loveless alliance, but I promise I'll be gentle. Please, forgive me. There's no turning back now."

* * *

Livi didn't get out of bed that day. He lay alone, tangled in his sheets, his emotions threatening to overwhelm him.

 _Forgive me, Nike. I promised I would never be with another woman, but I had no choice. Hate me if you must, but please, please, live. Even if you're taken away from me, even if you never want to see me again, as long as you're alive, it doesn't matter. Someday, I'll come home to you and I'll spend the rest of my life atoning for what I've done. Wait for me, Nike._

He turned on his side without thinking, but he immediately regretted it. The sheets where Talea had lain were streaked with blood. His stomach churned with self hatred.

 _I'm sorry, Talea. We may be in this together, but I know the burden is heaviest on you._

Despite his complicated feelings about the situation, he felt a connection with the small, dark haired girl that went far beyond whatever physical bond they had shared.

His first impression of her, all those months ago when she was first brought to court, had been woefully inadequate. Back then, he'd seen a shy, quiet girl, always ready to give a polite smile, always careful not to tread on important toes. He knew that Nike liked her, but he himself had thought her dreadfully dull.

When compared to someone like Nike, who was always a whirlwind of emotion and action, Talea had seemed like a blade of grass; she was invisible, just another court lady in a sea of nobles, quickly forgotten and easily replaced. But now, now that he knew her circumstances, he realized he had been wrong.

While a beautiful flower lived a short and frivolous life, a blade of grass was resilient. It continued to survive after being stepped on, after being buffeted against its will in all directions. A blade of grass resisted when pulled and had the power to slice through a careless fingertip. Those who tried to pull the grass would feel mild annoyance and put it from their minds. But to that single blade of grass, holding firmly to its roots was everything.

Now he understood. Talea had been holding on her whole life, fighting not to break.

In truth, they weren't all that different. The world had dealt them both a bad hand in life, and they'd had to struggle just to survive. Even without Nike's presence, they were eerily similar people. Perhaps, in another life, they could have been good friends.

 _Fate is a strange thing, isn't it, Nike?_


	11. The Arrival of Midnight

_"NIKE-SAMA!_

"Oh for the love of... _Ow!"_

Neil gave her a sharp rap over the head with his fist as she looked over the sheets she had been hanging out to dry.

"What was _that_ for?!" she cried, rubbing her head. Neil stood seething over her.

"If I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times, Nike-sama! Leave the chores to the maids and stop straining your body!"

"I'm not straining anything!" she said defensively. "I'm just putting up the laundry! You fuss too much, Neil," she grumbled. Since Lanra and Mikia had divulged her secret to Neil and the medic, the chamberlain had become obsessed with Nike's habits and health. He was terrifyingly strict and she kept having traumatic flashbacks to the time when she had first arrived in Ginitarix and he had begun her spartan "re-education."

"Hah! Last week I caught you practicing sword forms in secret, and just yesterday Lanra said she had to stop you from jumping out the second floor window!" he said, giving her another smack on the head for good measure."When is it going to get through your thick skull that you need to be _careful_ , Your Highness?"

"Ow! Hitting me isn't going to help!" she said, covering her head to protect herself from further abuse.

"If His Majesty knew you were being so reckless..."

"Don't even think about it, Neil-sama." Mikia crossed into the garden, balancing a basket of fresh laundry on her hip. "Not a _soul_ outside of us maids, the medic, and yourself better hear a word about this, or Lanra and I will have your tongue," she said in an threatening undertone as she put down the wet clothes. As they liked to remind Nike from time to time, maids were quite skillful with knives. "As for you, milady, _please_ stop giving us heart attacks every other day; the rest of the staff are going to find out at this rate," she chided as she pulled a handful of clothespins from her apron pocket.

"I'm not doing it on purpose," Nike muttered, dropping to the grass without a thought. Neil made a noise halfway between a yelp and a whine. "I'm just not used to sitting around doing nothing."

"A little exercise is good for you, princess," Mikia said as she unfolded a cloak. "But that doesn't mean you should be running around like usual either. Keep it up and we'll tie you to a chair for the next six months."

"You might as well," Nike sighed, stretching out on her back and staring at the clouds. "It's not like I'm allowed to do anything else anyway."

"Don't be so dramatic, Nike-sama," Neil scolded. He took some pins from Mikia and began helping her fill the clothesline. "You're pregnant, not dying."

"Shush," Mikia hissed.

"Ah, sorry."

"Why did we even bother telling you?" she muttered. "All our efforts to protect Her Majesty will go to waste because of an overly talkative chamberlain and the princess' own carelessness."

"Don't say that, Mikia," Nike said, a bit hurt by their lack of faith in her. "I'm trying to be careful... I just sometimes... don't remember."

"You're going to be the death of us, milady," Neil sighed.

* * *

Staying locked up was difficult for someone as free spirited as Nike. She longed to sneak out of the tower grounds, just for an hour or two, but she didn't dare. Guards patrolled the premises throughout the day and night and she couldn't be sure that Livi wouldn't have her whole household killed if she was caught.

The garden was the closest she ever got to freedom, but with Neil constantly breathing down her neck there wasn't much to do in it. Most days she wandered around the grounds aimlessly, singing to herself or following the maids around as they worked. She almost missed being busy, but nearly all of her duties as head of state had been relegated to Bard, whom she hadn't seen since she left the castle. The only thing she was still expected to do was to answer her correspondence, though there wasn't much of it.

As the winter wore on into spring, Nike spent increasing amounts of time thinking about Livi and about the little life growing inside her. She wasn't sure how she felt about becoming a mother, and even less sure about how Livi might react when he finally found out.

 _We're too young for this,_ she thought for the millionth time since she'd missed her first course. Though she and Livi had been engaged for years and the topic of children had cropped up from time to time, they always spoke of it as something in the far future, after they were well into their married life. It had never crossed Nike's mind that it might happen after their first and only night spent together; they might be the king and queen, but they were still hardly more than children themselves.

 _It's too late to think of that now, though_ , she sighed, dangling her feet out of her open window. A gentle breeze was blowing in from the south, and the trees were making a sound like the waves of the ocean as they rustled. She closed her eyes, thinking of Sheila.

 _Did you regret it? Bringing Livi into a world like this one? Was it scary, knowing how much danger he would be in?_

Of course, no one answered.

She hugged her arms around her waist; it was still possible to hide the curve of her belly, but it wouldn't be for much longer. The rest of the staff in the tower would find out sooner than later that Nike wasn't simply gaining a bit of weight, and if she managed to make it alive past that, it would be infinitely more difficult to keep an infant hidden.

"How am I going to protect you?" she whispered. _If Livi were here, what would he do?_

Imagining that didn't help; if Livi was there, there would be no need to hide the existence of his heir. The whole kingdom would know about it and security in the castle would be tripled to protect the royal family from harm. In exile, however, Nike had to be very careful. She wasn't naive enough to think that no one would want to take advantage of the king's absence to get rid of her and her child. She couldn't trust anyone outside of her personal retinue, not even her own cook. The guards were just as much her jailers as they were her protectors, so she couldn't count on them either.

 _All I can really do is wait, until someone else makes a move._ She kicked her feet into the cold air out of frustration.

"Livi, you _idiot!"_ she shouted into the evening air. Her voice echoed and a flock of birds erupted out of the woods in alarm. "Some father you're turning out to be, you jerk," she added under her breath. _Don't worry, little one, I'll give your daddy a good beating when he decides to finally show his face._

* * *

"Aha, I win again!"

Livi groaned. "Are you serious?! You're cleaning me out, here!" He begrudgingly pulled two sols from his pocket and handed them over.

"Who knew you were so terrible at cards, Your Majesty?" Talea grinned, adding the gold to her already sizeable pile of winnings.

"Livius," he corrected. "And I'm not bad at it, you're just _too_ good."

"Oh, right. Sorry, it takes some getting used to," she said sheepishly, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

Livi picked up the deck and began to shuffle. It was a nice change, seeing Talea cheerful for once. Even in her own home, her smiles were rare, and he found he much preferred her company when she was in a good mood.

"Tell me when you want to sleep," he said as he dealt the cards. They'd been playing for a couple of hours already.

"Just one more game then." She looked through her cards and leaned over just a bit too far to place four silver coins on the space between them. She flinched violently.

"Ack, be careful!" he said, immediately kneeling on the mattress to gently push her back to a sitting position. Her wounds were still healing.

"I forgot," she gasped. "Did I rip the scabs open?" He moved forward to inspect the back of her chemise and sighed with relief when he saw it remained white.

"You're fine. But you're worse than Nike, how can you forget about injuries this bad?"

"You get used to the pain, to some degree," she said, grimacing. "So you forget it's there after a while. Though Her Majesty is a different case altogether," she added, putting two cards down and taking another from the deck. "I once saw her slice her calf open with her sword by accident, and two days later she was planning to ride a horse."

"She's seriously an idiot," Livi muttered as he organized his cards by suite. "Every time she gets hurt she drives us all mad with worry. She's so careless!"

"That's part of her charm too, though," Talea offered, initiating a swap. Livi bit the inside of his cheek as he traded one of his unwanted cards and checked the new one.

 _Tricky game she's playing..._

"Mmm," he agreed. "But do you know how hard it is to get her to stay still? The royal doctor _dreads_ dealing with her."

Talea laughed. "Poor doctor, I pity anyone trying to look after her health." She put down her cards. "I win again, Livius," she added proudly. Livi sighed in defeat.

"Fine, fine, here, take the rest of my pocket change already." He tossed her the last of his gold and stretched. "Let's head to bed then. Here, I'll unbutton your chemise so you don't rub it against your back in your sleep."

* * *

Lord Evan Dainer was very pleased with the way his plan was taking shape. The king had resisted more than he'd expected at first, and he was astounded at his daughter's disloyalty when she lied to cover up for the boy, but once he had made sure she remembered her place, things fell into place quite easily.

In fact, things had gone better than he could have hoped. His Majesty's obsession with his worthless princess was so infamous that he was surprised when he realized that the king and Talea were hardly seen apart from one another. Even though his spies asserted that they did not always sleep together when she was sent to his room, that they _did_ sleep together from time to time was undeniable. As Talea recovered from her wounds, His Majesty seemed more and more taken with her; Lord Dainer could only assume that the king's taste in women had improved after discovering how much more satisfying a quiet, docile woman was compared to a spitfire like Princess Nike.

He was expecting good news from his youngest daughter soon, so when an unexpected letter arrived from the capital in early spring, he was understandably furious.

 _That little bitch!_

He reread the short letter again, his temper rising with every word.

 _Milord,_ _I've confirmed that Princess Nike is pregnant. She has been hiding it for months, but her retinue seems to have been aware all along. We await your orders._

"I gave her too little credit," he mumbled angrily, throwing the parchment into the fire. _She's cleverer than I thought_.

He pulled two fresh pieces of parchment from his desk and quickly scribbled a note.

 _Dismiss the guard around the White Gold Tower immediately. Don't let the princess catch on. Don't even think about warning her if you don't want your lover and her sister to die._

He sealed it quickly and moved on to the second.

 _Kill her. We'll find something else to hold over the king's head. She's too dangerous to live._

* * *

Nike woke up in a cold sweat. She stared up at the ceiling of her room, trying to catch her breath as her heart pounded loudly in her ears.

It was the middle of the night and everyone was supposed to be asleep, but something about the usual silence was unnerving her.

No, it wasn't silent. Her ears just weren't picking up any noise because the sounds were coming from somewhere else.

 _Get up, princess. You have to go, now!_

Someone was tapping into her consciousness, but it wasn't a presence she recognized.

 _Who are you?_

 _That doesn't matter, hurry! They're coming!_

 _Who?!_

 _Go! Your secret is no longer safe!_

She felt ice crawling up her veins.

 _"Mikia! Lanra! SUNYA!"_ she screamed, throwing her sheets off. She didn't stop to wait for them to arrive and wasted no time throwing on her thickest cloak. The maids threw open the door.

"Milady! Are you alright?!" Sunya shouted. All three of them were in their nightgowns, and they were all clearly alarmed. Nike saw Neil run up behind them and she knew she didn't have time before the remaining staff and guards caught wind of what was going on.

"We're leaving, immediately!"

"What?" Mikia asked, frowning.

"It's not safe here anymore, they know," she said urgently as she grabbed her sword's scabbard and buckled it hastily over her chemise. It was tight over her waist but she didn't have time to worry about discomfort. Sunya and Mikia still looked confused, but Lanra immediately dashed down the staircase. Neil seemed to have caught on as well.

"What are you _doing_ , just standing there!?" he shouted at the two maids. " _Hurry!_ Grab your cloaks and something to fight with!" They jumped at his tone and scurried after Lanra. "Milady, this way!" He took her hand and they dashed down the stairs, ignoring the sound of the remaining staff opening their doors sleepily to ask what was going on.

They reached the landing, where they found Lanra carrying a pack of some sort over her shoulder. Her cloak and shoes were on, and she held a rather cruel looking dagger; she shook her head when Neil gave her a questioning look. She led them toward the kitchens, where there was a back door to the grounds. Mikia appeared from a side corridor a second later, followed by Sunya.

"There's someone coming down from the main road," Mikia whispered. "It looks like more than one person; they're carrying torches."

"How far?" Neil asked.

"About ten minutes away, I'd guess. I saw them from the window in my room upstairs, so they were still a bit far, but they'll get here quickly if they're on horseback."

"I won't be coming, milady," Sunya said quickly, throwing Neil a similar looking pack and handing him a short sword that Nike recognized from the armory. "I'm too old, I'll only slow you down."

"We can't leave you behind, Sunya!" Nike cried. "What if they kill you?!"

"We don't know what they'll do, milady," Neil said, throwing the pack over his shoulder. "And not everyone on the staff is guilty of being a spy, what about them? We have to abandon them too."

"No! I won't leave a friend to die!"

"Princess, please, don't worry about me," Sunya said, taking her hand. "We've been preparing for this, just in case. All I want is for you and His Majesty to be happy again, so I'm begging you, forget me. You need to survive, no matter what. Your child is counting on you." She squeezed her hand and Nike threw her arms around the elderly woman's shoulders.

"I'll never forget you," she sobbed. "Forgive me, Sunya. I'm sorry..."

"Milady, we have to go!" Neil hissed, pulling her away. Alice and Beth, the scullery maids, were sleepily calling out from the landing, asking what was going on.

 _I'm sorry, for all of you..._

"I'll try to get everyone out if I can," Sunya promised as Mikia fumbled with the lock in the dark. "Be safe, Princess Nike. It was the greatest honor to serve you."

Before Nike could reply, Lanra shoved her bodily out the door.

* * *

"Stay quiet," Neil breathed as they hurried through the garden. Nike had to stifle her sobs as they stuck to the shadows. Mikia hadn't been exaggerating; within minutes, they heard the faint sound of hooves on stone echoing closer from the other side of the fortress.

 _"Get to the woods, hurry!"_ Lanra whispered urgently. Mikia grabbed Nike's wrist as they broke into a full run.

They reached the cover of the trees just as they heard a commanding voice bark an indistinguishable order behind them.

 _"Soldiers?"_ Lanra hissed at Neil.

 _"I don't know,"_ he mouthed as they kept running.

 _"Where are the guards?!"_ Mikia asked suddenly. Nike felt the hair stand on the back of her neck; they had yet to meet a single person despite the fact that the grounds were supposed to be well guarded.

Neil shook his head. They kept running.

 _"How are we going to get through the wall and the moat?"_ Nike was trying not to wheeze. Her body felt heavier nowadays.

 _"Don't worry, we have a plan,"_ Mikia whispered.

A sudden bout of screams nearly petrified them.

 _Sunya! Everyone!_

"We have to go back," Nike cried. Her heart felt like it was tearing in two.

"No, milady!"

"I can't leave them to die for me!"

Neil whirled around and grabbed her wrists tightly. "Listen to me, Nike-sama. All of us, even the cook, are ready to lay down our lives if it means protecting you. We need you, His Majesty needs you. Even if every single one of us is slain before the night is through, even if your child is taken from you, promise me, you must survive." She shook her head frantically, tears running down her cheeks. _"Promise me!"_ He shouted, shaking her. "If you won't do it for us, if you won't do it for the king, then do it for the kingdom! We need you at His Majesty's side!"

"But-"

"No, milady! Don't you understand what will happen if you die?! His Majesty will be crushed, destroyed! Are you fine with consigning him to such a fate?!"

The thought of Livi, grieving over the loss of yet another person in his life, steeled her heart.

"No," she said shakily. "I can't do that to him."

"Good, now _hurry_ , they're bound to figure out you've fled by now and they'll be onto us in minutes."

* * *

She wasn't in the tower.

 _Someone must have warned her, tch._

"Search the grounds. She must have fled into the woods. Find her."

* * *

"Through here, princess!"

Mikia took off her shoes and waded into the small pool. It wasn't very deep but there was a grate on the side of the defensive wall that allowed excess water to drain into the moat on the other side. The blond maid pulled one of the iron bars hard and it came away, making a space just big enough for a person to slip through.

"When did you find this?" Nike asked as she tied her chemise and cloak at thigh-level to prevent them from getting wet. She splashed into the water quickly as Neil and Lanra did the same, carrying their shoes in hand.

"Find? I filed through this thing myself," Mikia said proudly as Nike passed through the space and into a short tunnel beneath the wall. "I've been working on it for weeks." Once all four of them were through, she pulled the bar back into place. The grate looked as impenetrable as ever.

"When did you find time to do all this?"

"We've been doing a bit of prep work for an emergency in our spare time," Lanra explained as they waded through the tunnel. "We've had supplies packed for ages. I grabbed some food before we left, but we already had money, medicine, and a few changes of clothes prepared in case we had to run for it. We even grabbed a few daggers from the armory for self defense."

"As well prepared as ever, I see," Neil commented. "I wasn't aware of your preparations, but I'm thankful for your foresight nonetheless."

"Of course," she added smugly. "We aren't Her Majesty's maids for nothing."

"Shh, we're approaching the moat. We have to get across without being spotted by the guards on the wall," Mikia warned.

"You're not going to make us swim, are you?" Neil asked apprehensively. The water was freezing.

"Don't be ridiculous, we can't make Nike-sama swim in this cold; she'll miscarry!"

"Then how-"

"You've worked under His Majesty all these years and you still don't know?" she asked incredulously. Neil looked abashed.

"His Majesty didn't tell me everything," he mumbled.

"As Mikia was about to say," Lanra interrupted. "There's a raised path submerged in the water at a point to the north of here. It's invisible unless you know it's there and it was made for use by the Royal family in situations like this. There used to be a secret passage leading to it, but it collapsed and was sealed many years ago. His Majesty informed us of all the secret passages in the palace when we were chosen to look after the princess. If we use it, we should be able to get across without going any deeper than knee level."

Nike was about to comment that she should have been filled in on these passages herself when a sound from the other side of the wall struck them dumb.

"Any sign of her?"

"We found footprints nearby, but they vanished around this area. They might have backtracked to lead us in the wrong direction."

"Check the perimeter of the wall. Shoot to kill if you spot them."

"Yes sir."

Mikia silently pointed toward the end of the tunnel and they tried their best not to make any noise as they slowly waded out.

* * *

"Livius, are you alright?!"

He heard Talea's voice but he couldn't seem to find his own. His body was unbearably hot and his head was throbbing. He felt her hand touch his forehead.

"You're burning up!" There was a rustling sound and he heard the door open. "Rosalind! Rosalind, get the doctor! His Majesty is ill!"

 _No, it's not me! Nike! Nike's in danger!_

He wasn't sure where he'd gotten that impression, but he was certain it was true.

 _Talea, send help for Nike! Save... her! Hu...rry..._

He almost lost consciousness.

* * *

They managed to avoid being spotted by the guards on the turrets. They crossed over onto the bank on the other side of the moat, now in Ginitarix proper.

"No time for rest, milady," Neil urged as Nike swayed a bit on her feet. She was feeling rather drained, but she followed as quietly as possible, Mikia bringing up the rear.

"Where do we head now?" she asked.

"We need to get out of the inner city next. That should be easier, but the walls will still be guarded. After that, we need to get a transport across and out of the outer city," he replied. They circled around the main street, ducking into a quiet alley lined with trees. All four of them pulled up their hoods and tried to look as inconspicuous as possible as they hurried along.

"We're leaving the capital?" Nike asked, concerned.

"We have to get as far away from our enemies as we can. We have no idea who's after us; it could even be His Majesty himself," Neil said grimly.

"Never," Lanra said firmly. "His Majesty would never send assassins after the princess."

"I have no idea what His Majesty is capable of right now, Lanra. But whoever it is, they've got command of an army, perhaps even the royal guard itself. Those men weren't ordinary assassins; they were trained soldiers."

Nike suppressed a shiver. The thought of Livi ordering her death was too horrible to think about.

* * *

"If we don't combat his fever immediately, he'll die, milord."

 _Where..._

"Then what are you waiting for, you fool?! You there, send for ice from the kitchens, and get a tub ready! If His Majesty dies here our work is all for nothing!"

"Livius, please hold on!" He vaguely felt a slight pressure on his hand.

 _If I die here... of course... why didn't I think of that?_

If he could, he would have laughed.

 _I've been such a fool! The answer was right here all along; if I die, even if it's too late and Talea has my child, there will be no one to vouch for their blood! At best they would be granted status as a bastard, but Nike and Bard would be higher up in the succession regardless. Without me, the plan can't succeed!_

He felt delirious with relief. He didn't have to do a thing! He just had to peacefully pass away and Nike would be safe again...

 _No, she's not safe right now!_

"Livius, don't die! Please!" Talea's voice came again. She was holding his hand tightly.

 _No, Talea, not me! You have to help Nike! I have to die here, but she needs your help!_

The words would not form on his tongue.

"Please, if you die, Nike-sama will be all alone!" she begged.

 _She doesn't need me, she'll still live, but only if you go now!_

"I can't tell her that I let you die in front of my eyes, Livius... Livi! If you love her, please, fight!"

 _Of course I love her! And so do you! So help her!_

"And... I can't lose you either, Livi!" he heard her sob. "You're the only true friend I've ever known! Weren't we going to save her, together?! Don't leave me! We have to protect Nike-sama!"

"What foolish nonsense are you spouting, stupid girl?!"

"No! Leave me alone! Livi! Listen to me! Don't die! I have to get you home to your wife! No matter how long it takes, I promised to see you back to her! You can't do that if you're dead! Livi! _Livi! Father, let go!"_

"Shut up, you useless bitch! What are you talking about?! What bloody stupid plan have you hatched now?!"

 _"Let go! Livi!"_

He felt her hand pulled away.

 _No... If you don't help, then she's lost..._

"Ni...ke..."

* * *

"If we can't trust the royal guard, how are we getting into the Outer City?"

"If only we'd brought some wigs or something..."

"That's the stupidest plan I've ever heard."

"Shush, I'm thinking," Nike said, cutting out the others' argument. "Let's ask someone to help us through."

"No way, we don't know who we can trust!"

"The people have nothing to do with this, so maybe someone can smuggle us through the wall."

"They would be thrilled to help you, but are you okay with endangering civilians like that, princess?" Lanra asked.

"Of course I'm not okay with it! But what else can we do?"

"What if... I go as decoy?" Mikia said quietly.

"What?!"

"If I go cause a ruckus along a different area of the wall, then the guards will all rush to go see what I'm doing. Then you two can sneak Nike-sama past the checkpoint and escape."

"What about you?!" Neil cried.

"I'll be caught, I suppose. I'll do my best to get away and meet up with you, but I can't guarantee it. Promise you won't wait."

"No! I forbid it!" Nike almost shouted. "No more sacrifices! We're getting out together or not at all!"

Mikia gave Neil and Lanra a look, and before Nike had time to figure out what was happening, they grabbed her arms.

"I'm sorry princess. Live on, and know that I loved you." She kissed Nike's forehead and ran back down the way they'd come.

"Mikia! Stop!" Neil's hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her cries.

She bit him until she tasted blood, but he still would not let go.

"Enough, princess. You'll give us away and she'll have done this for nothing," he said quietly. The fight went out of her, but the tears wouldn't stop.

 _Why do all these people have to put themselves in danger for me? I'm not worth it!_

"Hurry, over here," Lanra said, looking round the corner. Her cheeks were also wet.

They edged around the building nearest to the checkpoint, sticking to the shadows.

There were two guards, one on each side of the gate. As they watched, they heard a loud scream from somewhere to their right. The soldiers exchanged a glance, and one of them ran off to find the source of the noise. The other stayed behind.

"Shit," Neil muttered. "Lanra, we'll need to take him out."

"Got it," she breathed, pulling out her dagger. She disappeared down a side alley and a minute later emerged around the other side of the building.

"Be prepared to unsheathe your sword, Nike-sama, just in case. Don't use your magic. You'll exhaust yourself and they'll figure out where we are." He stepped out of the shadows and headed for the guard.

"Good evening, sir," he called out cheerily. Distracted, the guard turned to address Neil and didn't notice Lanra sneaking up behind him until her knife was at his throat.

"Drop your weapon. Don't move or make a sound," she growled, just loud enough for Nike to hear. The guard complied and let his spear fall to the ground. The maid gestured for Neil and Nike to hurry past.

The guard twitched at the sight of Nike's figure appearing out of the shadows but Lanra knocked him unconscious before he could say anything.

"Let's go, quickly!"

"We have to wait for Mikia!" Nike insisted, planting herself right in front of the gateway. Neil shook his head.

"No time, the guard will wake up soon and he'll alert the rest of the soldiers that we passed this way."

"She wouldn't want you to wait, milady," Lanra said, but Nike heard the quiver in her voice.

"If there's a chance-"

A gunshot cracked through the night, and a terrible scream permeated the air. Down the street and out of the corner of her eye, Nike thought she saw a flash of blonde hair dyed red.

She turned on her foot and automatically made to draw her sword, but a heavy blow hit the back of her neck and everything went dark as midnight.


	12. The Star in the Darkness

"The fever is finally coming down, milord."

"Thank the gods."

"His Majesty should be fine as long as we monitor his temperature for a little while. Nothing else is wrong with him, as far as I can tell. The fever seems to have come out of nowhere."

"Poisoning, perhaps?"

"If it's a poison, it isn't one I recognize the symptoms for."

"Very well... I'll get my daughter to watch over him once she's been punished enough for her foolish behavior."

 _They're... talking about Talea...?_

Livi tried to open his eyes but found that his eyelids were much heavier than usual. His head felt foggy, unfocused, and he kept lapsing into darkness.

 _What happened...?_

 _"You're going to be okay."_

 _Who...?_

 _"You don't even recognize your own wife's voice? I'll divorce you, you jerk."_

 _Nike...?!_

 _"Were you expecting someone else...?"_

 _No, but, I thought..._

 _"Hmm?"_

 _Never mind. If you're safe, it doesn't matter._

 _"Me? I'm more worried about you."_

 _What? Why?_

 _"You almost died, Livi!"_

 _Oh... Oh, that's right..._

 _"Livi..."_

 _Heh, I can't even manage to die properly. What a joke._

 _"Don't talk like that!"_

 _I was so close to ensuring your safety, and I couldn't even die._

 _"Stop it! I've had enough!"_

 _Nike...?_

 _"I've had enough of people sacrificing themselves for me! I'm sick of seeing people die or disappear for my sake. I won't let you do it too!"_

 _But don't you see? It would have been a perfect way to foil-_

 _"No! Put yourself in my shoes, Livi! How would you feel if I died like that for you?!"_

 _I..._

 _"See? Promise me, right now! You won't let yourself die!"_

 _But..._

 _"Promise me, please! I'm barely hanging on without you now, I'm begging you, Livi... don't leave me..."_

* * *

When she finally regained consciousness, it was daylight. The air smelled fresh, like grass, and it was warm. She groaned; her neck was painfully stiff and her muscles were aching like they had been lying stiff for hours.

"Oh, she's awake, Neil!"

"Thank goodness, I was afraid I'd hit her too hard..."

"Are you okay, princess?" Lanra's face was looking down at her, concern etched on her face.

"What... where...?"

"We're on a wagon heading out of the Outer City, milady," Neil replied. "Here, have some water, you must be thirsty." He helped lift her up to a sitting position and supported her back as she took the canteen from his hands and drank deeply. The water was cool and soothed her throat.

"How did we-" she began, but she accidentally inhaled some water and fell into a fit of coughing.

"Easy there, princess," Lanra said. "Breathe slowly. Everything is fine. We got away safely."

"My apologies, Nike-sama. The guards were coming back and you looked ready to fight to the death, so I knocked you unconscious... Please, punish me as you see fit," Neil bowed his head in shame.

 _So that's why my neck is killing me._

"After that, we carried you out of the Inner City together," Lanra said, ignoring Neil's last comment. "I took your sword and wore it myself so it wouldn't look so strange that you were carrying one in your condition. We met a farmer on the road who seemed suspicious of us, but we told him we were travelers from the capital and that you were Neil-sama's wife. Once he saw your stomach, he assumed you had fainted because of the baby."

"Luckily he didn't recognize you and he helped get us to the Tavern District, where we found a transport out of the capital. Speaking of which, Lanra is a born liar," Neil said, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know if I can trust her anymore."

"Ha ha," she said dryly.

"What about Mikia?"

They exchanged a look and Nike realized that they were both red eyed.

"She... escaped, miss. She probably made it back to the castle." Nike knew it was a lie.

She closed her eyes and fought to remember Mikia as she had been in life; a sweet, hard working girl, always ready with a joke or a smile. She didn't want to think about what she'd seen last. That pretty blonde hair, that kind face, smeared with blood from her own lips as a bullet ripped through her lungs... Nike had hear her scream turn into a horrible choking and gurgling sound...

 _Mikia... Why was I so powerless to save you...?! What kind of queen is one who can't even protect her people?!_

Fresh tears formed in the corner of her eyes.

* * *

"Neil, I think we should go to the Rain Duchy."

They were stopped on the side of the road, sitting on a low, stone wall while they rested. Lanra ripped a sizeable hunk of bread for each of them and they ate quietly, watching the occasional wagon pass by.

The last week had been spent crossing the northern plains on foot. It was a difficult trek for Nike; her feet were constantly swollen and her back ached terribly from carrying the added weight of the baby. They rested often to ease her discomfort but it wasn't much help in the long run. The fact was that they had nowhere to go and they had to get as far away from the capital as they could, as quickly as they were able.

Neil chewed his portion of food pensively for a moment.

"I don't think it's in our best interest to go abroad, milady... You're the queen, and while the king is missing, we need you in the country-"

"That's ridiculous," Lanra cut in, frowning at Neil. "I mean, it was true before, but look at us! We're running for our lives, and Nike-sama is due in less than three months! How are we doing anything for the country when we're running around just trying to stay alive?"

"Well, yes, but it's an issue of morale; imagine what would happen if it got out that both of our rulers were missing! The Empire would crumble apart in days!"

"It's not like we can go around announcing milady at every village we pass through," Lanra pointed out. "She's already missing, and I for one think we should go to the safest place we can. The Rain Duchy is overseas and Her Majesty's family can hide her while this mess sorts itself out."

"I think so too, Neil," Nike said, leaning back as far as she could to ease the pressure on her stomach a little. "I know it's a little obvious that we would escape there, but not even a full blown army can take on the Duchy easily. Livi may have been able to do it, but no one else would stand a chance."

"Well, that's true... But it makes me uneasy, leaving the country without a ruler..."

"We have a ruler; Bard is doing fine without me, and Livi isn't dead, so it's not a big deal. And..." she paused, staring up at the clear skies. "Maybe this is selfish of me, but I want to go home, if only for a while."

Lanra and Neil shared a worried glance.

"If that's how you feel, milady, then you're probably right," he finally sighed. "You've been through enough, and there's still a terrible ordeal waiting for you. The least we can do is offer you a safe, familiar place to wait out this storm."

"Thank you, Neil," she said quietly. Both he and Lanra took one of her hands.

"Not at all, Nike-sama. Stay strong; we'll board a ship for the Duchy as soon as we get to Fiore. Just a few days left until we arrive."

* * *

Talea had been brutally punished.

In his anger, her father opted to beat her instead of whipping her, but her injuries were just as terrible. She was certain that he'd broken her arm, and she was not surprised to find horrible, black bruises all over her body the next day, including on her face.

Still, the worst part of her ordeal wasn't the agonizing pain that accompanied every movement. It wasn't even worry over Livi's condition, though that consumed a great deal of her waking thoughts. What she couldn't bring herself to accept was that, unbeknownst to everyone but herself, Lord Dainer had caused his daughter to miscarry.

It was her fault, and she knew it. She had been so worried about what to do when she found out that she was carrying Livi's child that she had sworn not to tell a soul for as long as possible. For two months, whenever her father questioned her about her courses, she always answered that she was not expecting. She hadn't even told Livi; the poor boy didn't need more to worry about at the moment, and news of the unwanted child between them would have only driven him further into despair. She had hoped, prayed, even, that no one would find out, that the child would disappear and her father's plan would fail.

Up until she felt the horrible pain in her belly and she bled again for the first time in months did she realize what she had done. Talea had never been particularly maternal but somehow, the sight of blood on her underthings cut through to her heart.

 _A child paid for what I did...! An innocent little life, hardly even formed yet... Why..._

God had heard her prayers. For keeping her silence, she had been punished.

 _Why did a child have to pay for my mistake?!_

The knowledge that she had allowed her own child to die, that she had _hoped_ for it, almost drove her mad with grief. For two weeks, the part of her consciousness that spoke in her father's voice tormented her without end.

 _I'm sorry, I'm sorry...! I didn't know!_

Of course you knew! You didn't want it, you didn't care what happened to it.

 _No, that's not... Please, I'm so, so sorry..._

Apologizing won't bring it back. You should have told your father, but you were too proud, too afraid. You have no right to mourn.

 _I couldn't tell him! I was trying to protect Princess Nike, and Livi as well! I didn't know Father would do this!_

Maybe not, but you still didn't want it. You thought about taking medicine, about drinking poison, all sorts of terrible things if it meant you could be rid of it. Don't pretend you care just because it's gone.

 _No! I... I was afraid, I had shameful thoughts... but I never did any of it! I could never have killed my own child!_

What are you talking about, foolish girl? You already have.

 _No...! I'm so sorry...! Forgive your pathetic, worthless mother... forgive me..._

* * *

At first, she thought it must have been the sound of the waves rocking the ship that woke her. She opened her eyes and stared up at the wooden ceiling, feeling uneasy. She listened hard, but nothing immediately struck her as out of place. Apart from the creaking of the hull, she could only hear Lanra's soft breathing in her ear and Neil's loud snoring as he slept across the cabin in a hammock.

In three more days, they were expected to finally arrive in the Rain Duchy. They had had to wait an entire month to secure passage on this ship, one of the few chartered to sail to the eastern islands, and even then they had only been able to afford a single cabin for all three of them to use; all the money that Lanra had saved up for them had been squandered on everyday expenses while they waited for a ship in the port city of Fiore. The last seven days at sea had been unpleasant for Nike, but far preferable to walking across the plains had been, and being so close to home did her spirits good.

After listening for a few minutes, she found herself being lulled back to sleep. The waves were calm and gentle, coming and going...

A sharp pain shot through her abdomen.

"Ugh...!" _Ow! What...? What's going on?!_

"Nike-sama...?" Lanra was a light sleeper and she was always on the alert for Nike's needs.

"O-oh, it's nothing Lanra, go back to slee- ARGH!" She instinctively curled in on herself as another wave of pain hit her.

"Nike-sama!" Lanra immediately got out of bed and checked her over quickly. "Oh no, Neil-sama! Wake up!"

"H-huh? Wha- what's going on?" he slurred, still half asleep.

"Hurry! Get the ship's doctor, Nike-sama is going into labor!" Lanra cried, turning the gas lamp on.

"What? No! I'm still not due for another month!" Nike felt her heart jump into her throat. _Oh no, please no, not my baby, please don't take my child away too!_

"Your water broke, milady, there's no question about it. Stay calm, okay? Just breathe," Lanra said, taking Nike's hand and trying to soothe her as another sharp pain hit. "NEIL! HURRY AND GET THE DOCTOR!"

Neil fell out of his hammock at the sudden order. Struggling to pull on his cloak, he threw open the door and ran up the stairs to the deck.

* * *

It was the most painful experience Nike had ever had. Nothing could have prepared her for the sheer agony, and it was all she could do not to break her own teeth as she bit down on a wad of cloth that the doctor gave her. The night seemed to drag on and on, an endless, torturous nightmare. Lanra stayed at her side the entire time, not complaining at all as Nike crushed her hand with every contraction that wracked her body.

 _Livi, you are NEVER, EVER, touching me again, you son of a bitch!_

She couldn't go on; her strength was failing, but every time she seemed ready to faint Lanra would coax her back, telling her to be strong, that it would be over soon.

It lasted several hours.

* * *

"Congratulations, miss. She's a bit premature, but you have a healthy daughter," the doctor said as he cut the umbilical cord.

The sound of wailing had never sounded so welcoming to Nike's exhausted ears.

 _A daughter... my daughter._ She couldn't help it; she broke into loud sobs.

The doctor bathed the infant in a small tub and swaddled her in cloth before gently giving her to her mother.

"Oh," Nike breathed, trying not to choke on her own tears. The tiny, little girl was screaming for her life, her nose wrinkled in absolute displeasure. Her face was red with effort and her eyes were tightly squeezed shut. On her brow was a tuft of jet black hair.

"She's so angry," Nike half-laughed.

"She's lovely, miss," Lanra said, admiring the infant as Nike held her close. The doctor quietly spoke to Neil, who was standing in the doorway.

"Don't be silly, she looks ridiculous," Nike said. "Look at that angry little face! She looks like she hates everything."

"Haha, well, she does look a bit cross, doesn't she?"

"A bit is an understatement," Nike snorted. She gently stroked the baby's cheek with her thumb as she held her. "Hello, there. I'm sorry you had to be born in such a dark place; I'd be mad too if I had to go through so much pain just to end up in this stuffy cabin."

The child screamed all the louder, as if to agree that she was, in fact, quite furious with her current situation.

"It's not so bad out here, though," Nike said, a smile playing on her lips. "Look, you get to see me now." (The screams grew louder).

"I don't think she appreciates that, Nike-sama," Lanra said, trying to hold in her laughter and failing terribly.

"No, I think you're right," Nike frowned. "Hard to please, huh? Well I'm _so_ sorry that I just went through several hours of torture to bring you here, you little demon. I know I probably look like a mess and a terrible trade off for peace and quiet, but there you are, life isn't fair. Unfortunately, you're stuck with me, so you better get used to it."

"How are you feeling, Nike-sama?" The doctor had finally left, and Neil approached the newborn, looking slightly worn.

"Terrible. Like I've had my body ripped in half, only to have this ungrateful little demon scream in my ears," she said cheerfully.

"The doctor says she's in good health, though..." Neil trailed off.

"What is it?" Lanra asked sharply.

"Oh, no, it's nothing important." For some reason he blushed. "Just that... er, since we've been saying that Nike-sama is my wife, the doctor was concerned that the child's... uh... coloring was off; he wanted to warn me that it may not be my child..."

Nike and Lanra both stared at him incredulously and burst into wild laughter. The baby wailed louder, determined not to lose out in volume.

"What a nosy doctor!" Nike wheezed, ignoring the sharp pains that laughing sent through her tired body.

"Can you imagine His Majesty's face?!" Lanra croaked, holding a stitch in her side. "I've never seen a child look so much like its father!"

"She's even got his personality!" Nike added, bursting into another roar. "Just look at her! She's so displeased!"

"A downright princess," Lanra agreed, and the two women laughed themselves into tears.

* * *

 _"She's beautiful."_

 _You're an idiot, she's an absolute monster! Do you know how long she's been crying?! The only time I got her to be quiet was when I fed her!_

 _"Well, she's your child, after all."_

 _Excuse me?! If anything she's_ YOURS! _Just look at that angry little face, she hates everything!_

 _"Hey, I don't hate everything!"_

 _No, but you're incredibly hard to please._

 _"Ha ha. Can you blame me for wanting a bit of comfort in my life?"_

 _Yes, yes I can. And I blame you for this little demon too. She's only been alive half a day and she's already the most spoiled little princess you can imagine!_

 _"Don't lie, you've been smiling this whole time."_

 _Hmph._

 _"Just be honest with yourself, you love the living daylights out of her."_

 _Of course, I'm her mother._

 _"And I'm her father. So even if she's a pain in the ass, I hope you know I love her too."_

 _Livi..._

 _"I know neither of us will remember this when we wake up, but I wanted you to know. Thank you for everything you've done, Nike. I love you more than you could ever know."_

 _Livi..._

 _"Hmm?"_

 _You are_ never _laying a finger on me again._

 _"Ughhh, fair enough..."_

 _And..._

 _"Yes, dear wife? Are you going to claim naming rights as well? Because I'll let you know right now that I will not be held responsible if our daughter grows up hating us for having a terrible name-"_

 _Shut up._

 _"Urk, yes..."_

 _You're an idiot. But... I love you too._

 _"O-oh."_

 _That doesn't mean I won't kill you when I see you next._

 _"Heh, I didn't expect you not to."_

 _Hurry home, we're waiting for you._

 _"I'll do my best, I promise. Oh and about our daughter's name..."_

 _Did you have anything in mind?_

 _"Well, you can have the final say, but I was thinking..."_

* * *

"Ah, isn't this much better than that depressing cabin?"

Going up on deck felt wonderful after being stuck in her cabin for two days. The fresh sea breeze filled her lungs and whipped her hair around her face. The air seemed to be doing good for the baby as well; for the first time in what felt like forever, she wasn't crying.

"We're almost to the Duchy, now. You'll like it there, I promise. It's pretty and green, and it rains a lot! It's a fun place. And you'll meet your grandma and grandpa, and your aunts, and all sorts of people! Doesn't that sound nice?" Nike said. She talked to the baby often; she knew the infant didn't understand but hearing Nike's voice seemed to soothe her... sometimes.

"It will be nice to go home for a while..." she said, thinking of the nice, warm bed that waited for her in her room at the palace. "Oh, but I guess that's not home for you, is it? Hmm, you haven't been home since you were in my tummy, I guess." She bounced the baby gently in her arms as she walked over to the railing. " You can't see it from here, but home is in the Sun Kingdom, in Ginitarix. It's a hot, dry place, but the people are really nice. That's your country..."

She stared off into the western horizon and realized that although she was heading to the land she'd been born in, it wasn't home.

 _Not without Livi_.

"The Sun Kingdom is my country too... isn't it...?" she said quietly to herself.

The baby made a whimpering noise.

"Ah, yeah, it's a place with a lot of memories for mama... Not all of them are good, but..." She remembered Livi's smile, his haughty laugh, the warmth of his hand. The way he called her "princess" when he was in a good mood, or the way he kissed her gently, or the innocent look on his face when he was sleeping.

 _Home. Wherever Livi is, that's home. And I don't know where home is, not anymore._

A tear slid down her cheek.

"Not all of those memories are good... but even though it hurts... even though I want to cry and go home to him..." she wiped her face with the back of her hand and held the baby close. "Even though it's scary, you should know that the world is still a beautiful place, Athene."

Though Nike had no idea where the name had come from, it seemed to fit. At the sound of it, Athene made a pleased cry, almost like a laugh. The little princess seemed to know she was being called.


	13. A Cruel Lie

"Milady, please, I'm _begging_ you, make her stop...!"

"You think I wouldn't have done that already if I knew how?!"

"Ugh, I forgot how bad the pressure change is in the Duchy..." Neil groaned, trying to block the sound of Athene's furious screaming with his hands.

"Is that why my head is ringing like I struck it with a mallet?" Lanra asked, looking just as fatigued.

"The pressure here is a lot lower than on the mainland," Nike explained tiredly. "People who aren't used to it suffer from headaches and fatigue. Unfortunately, that also includes infants," she added as Athene gave another enraged wail.

"Gods above, if she doesn't stop I swear I will throw myself from this wagon!" Neil cried suddenly.

 _Who's being dramatic now?_ Nike thought irritably as she tried to soothe Athene. No amount of rocking, singing, or cooing had made the baby calm down since the moment they had left the ship. She was quiet only long enough to be fed, but as soon as she was done she burst into earsplitting shrieks again. The man driving the wagon seemed to be regretting his decision to take the small group to the palace as the auditory abuse continued.

"Shhh, I know it hurts, Athene, but please, have some consideration for our sanity," Nike pleaded. "Mama is _this_ close to having a breakdown, please stop crying," she said desperately as she patted the baby's back; her words, of course, meant absolutely nothing to a four day old child.

"Milady, isn't there something you can do about the pressure?" Lanra asked, massaging her temples.

"I don't know, I've never tried," Nike said, Athene still screaming into her shoulder. "And whatever I do isn't going to have that much of an effect; there's too many summoners in this country."

"As long as it can make her stop crying, I don't care if it only lasts five minutes," the maid groaned.

Nike nodded in exhaustion and began to sing. The rain continued to pour, but slowly the atmosphere changed around them. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Athene seemed spellbound by her mother's voice, and even after Nike stopped, the princess only made a few dissatisfied whines.

"Oh thank the Sun," Neil breathed in relief. "I thought it would never end."

"Miss, are you from the royal family?" called the driver. "That was a weather manipulation song, wasn't it?"

"Oh, you know it?" Nike answered as she held Athene to her shoulder.

"Not the exact song, no. But anyone in the Duchy can tell when the weather is being changed," he replied calmly. "Are you a relative of the Queen's?"

"Well, yes. She's my grandmother."

"Your gr- _Princess Nike?!"_

Nike was taken aback at his sudden outburst. "Uhm, yes...? Do I know you?" Lanra and Neil gave her uneasy looks.

"No, no! We've never met, but all the princesses are like idols to us common folk. Everyone knows you, milady!"

 _Apparently not enough to recognize me when you saw me; though to be fair, I look terrible. Not a lot of chances to bathe while on the run._

"Oh, I vaguely remember something like that..." she said.

"I knew it! But, shouldn't a princess have someone to pick her up? Why hire me?" he asked, confused.

"Oh uh, we came at short notice," Nike said, forcing a smile.

"Ah, well, it's none of my business, I suppose."

Athene exploded into another bout of screams.

" _OH FOR GOODNESS' SAKE!"_ Neil shrieked, pulling his cloak over his head. Lanra looked like she might snap at any moment.

"You little _demon_ ," Nike hissed as she bounced the inconsolable child on her shoulder. "No one asked you to take after your daddy _this_ much!"

* * *

"Nike?!"

"Kara-neechan!"

"What are you _doing_ here?!" Kara asked as she hugged her younger sister tightly. "We didn't hear about you coming!"

"It's a long story," Nike sighed. By coincidence, Kara had been loitering around the castle gate and happened to hear when Nike began arguing with the new guards. They looked horrified when they realized that the dingy, tired looking woman they had been trying to deny entrance to really was the princess she had insisted she was.

"You look like you've been through hell," Kara frowned, taking in her sister's appearance. Her hair was matted and dirty, her clothes were ragged, and she didn't seem at all like the happy newlywed she had been expecting to see.

"You have no idea, Kara-nee." Nike said, her tone flat.

"In that case, let's get you inside. All of you need a good, long bath."

Neil and the maid that Kara recognized as Lanra gave an appreciative sigh. She saw that Lanra was carrying a sleeping infant and wondered if Neil was the father.

 _Yeesh, no wonder they're so tired; imagine having to look after a baby while traveling._

* * *

 _I've roughed it a few times before, but I've never quite appreciated how wonderful a bath is...!_ Nike thought as she sank gratefully into the warm water. It was just what she needed for her sore muscles and she never wanted to get out again. She relaxed and let herself float on the surface of the large bathing pool.

"Milady, I've brought the princess."

Nike opened one eye and saw Lanra standing over her with Athene in her arms. The child had finally stopped crying, though she still had a permanently unhappy expression.

 _What an uncute little face._

"Thank you, Lanra," Nike said, lifting herself out of the water to take Athene. She was tiny, a red, chubby little ball of dissatisfaction. She barely ever opened her eyes above a slit, something Nike had been told was natural in newborns, so she wasn't sure whose eyes Athene had inherited. The rest of her daughter, however, was undoubtedly Livi in miniature. From the downy fuzz of black hair on her head to the upturned little nose, no one could deny the girl's Ifriquiyan bloodline.

"I'm not sure how to do this," Nike said hesitantly as she sat on the edge of the bath with the baby in her arms. Lanra had wasted no time in submerging herself up to her ears, letting her hair flow out behind her.

"I helped take care of my sister when I was growing up, so I have a bit of experience," the maid said. "Just hold her up in the water and wipe her body with a soapy cloth. Don't worry too much about her drowning or anything; babies can't swim, exactly, but they can survive in water for a bit, so as long as you're careful, she'll be fine."

"I wish someone taught me how to be a mother along with how to be a lady," Nike said as she lowered herself into the shallow end of the pool and did as Lanra instructed.

"You learn as you go, Nike-sama. Careful not to get the soap in her eyes."

"Okay. Ugh, stay still, I'm trying to get you clean," Nike muttered. Athene didn't seem particularly excited to find herself chest deep in hot water, but at least she wasn't screaming. Nike dabbed at her pudgy little arms. "Was it too much to ask for a child that doesn't judge everything I do? I feel like I'm being graded... and failing," she noted as Athene wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Lanra chuckled. "I'm pretty sure she _is_ judging you, miss. I've seen that exact expression on His Majesty's face when he's looking down at something."

"Yep, that's the look," Nike sighed. "Still, it's one thing for Livi, my husband, to give me this look; it's another entirely for my own newborn daughter, whom I _birthed_ ," (she addressed Athene sharply) "-to do it. I always thought that Livi was the way he was because of his difficult upbringing, but now I think it's genetic." She poured a little water on the girl's head to wash the soap out. "Where are _my_ genes, huh?" she asked grumpily as Athene gave an angry squeal.

"Her eyes, perhaps?"

"They have Livi's shape," she said grudgingly. "And they're blue right now, I think. But I don't know if that's because they're going to stay blue like Livi's or because they're still changing to green."

"Then maybe your traits will surface more as she grows up."

"I hope so, because _two_ little despots in my life are going to drive me mad."

* * *

The news that Nike had returned home with a child in tow spread quickly. Some, like Nike's two eldest sisters, were absolutely shocked to find out that their youngest sibling was not only married, but also carrying around a miniature version of her husband. Mira complained nonstop about how old she felt, being the oldest but still unmarried. Nia immediately tried to seize Athene as a plaything, but as soon as the baby left Nike or Lanra's arms, she was impossible to calm down (a fact that greatly restored some of Nike's lost self-esteem). Kara seemed surprised to find that Athene was her niece, and not Lanra and Neil's child as she'd thought, but she took to the news much more quickly than either of her sisters.

Nike's parents were an entirely different matter. Her father, Teteru, fainted at the sight of the black-haired child nursing at Nike's breast. His wife Iraha was so happy to meet her first grandchild that she doted over the baby until her anemia kicked in and she was forced back into her bed. Queen Tohara, however, was harder to please.

Nike's grandmother had never reconciled the fact that Teteru had given Nike away as a bride. Even after trying everything she could to break them up and finally, though begrudgingly, accepting the engagement, she was never on good terms with Livius. She was cold to him whenever they visited the Duchy and she never bothered to ask after him in her letters. So when Nike arrived the next morning to give her respects with Athene in her arms, Tohara just about blew a fuse.

 _"What in the seven hells is this?!"_

"It's nice to see you too, Grandmother."

"NICE?! _NICE?!_ You've been married for less than a year and you're already with child?!"

"Actually, as you can see, I already gave birth," Nike said dryly, holding up Athene. The baby seemed to have finally begun adjusting to the pressure change and was only crying when she was hungry or displeased. Which meant she was still crying most of the time, though she was thankfully quiet now.

" _Why haven't we heard about this?!"_ Tohara screeched.

Nike hesitated. "The situation in the Sun Kingdom is complicated at the moment. Not even the government knows."

 _"Explain."_

Nike didn't want to upset her Grandmother more than she already had, so she tried to make it sound like Livi had gone missing without warning and that it was the fault of dissidents in the government that she had been exiled.

"So your husband just up and left you to the wolves, did he? And after all his big talk of protecting you, he knocked you up and disappeared on his own?! That little _bastard! I'll kill him!"_

 _I've already got it covered, Grandmother,_ Nike thought privately.

"Livi doesn't know either, Grandmother. I made the decision to keep the pregnancy secret on my own. I'm sorry I couldn't get word to the Duchy, it was too dangerous."

" _It's too late to be sorry!"_ Tohara roared. "You're both _children!_ How do you expect to raise a child when you're hardly grown yourselves?!"

"I know we're young, but I'm already old en-"

"You're hardly older than your ridiculous idiot of a groom! You think you can shoulder the responsibility of being a mother at that age?! I thought the oh-so-great World King would have more sense than to think you could handle a child so early in your marriage!"

"Grandmo-"

"I _knew_ you should have stayed in the Duchy! I should have dragged you back by the hair if I had to! I did not allow you to continue with your engagement so you could come back, abandoned and with a baby in hand a few years later!"

 _"GRANDMOTHER!"_ Nike shouted. She'd had enough.

Unfortunately, she startled Athene as well.

"Oh crap, I'm sorry!" she said hastily as the wailing began. "Shh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," she murmured. She gave Tohara a resentful look, which was returned by the old woman with interest. "Look, Grandmother," she said, trying to console Athene as she spoke. "I know I'm too young for this, and Livi even more so. But we didn't plan for this; it just happened, and it's too late for regrets now. Ruling a country is hard enough, not to mention an empire, without having to worry about a child on top of that. The situation is already more than I can handle, and arguing with my family about it is the last thing I need right now."

Athene's cries echoed in the audience chamber, but Tohara didn't say anything for a whole minute.

"You're holding her wrong," she finally grumbled.

"What?"

"You're not supporting her head enough. And she's wrapped up too tight." She held out her hands grudgingly and Nike handed over the baby. Tohara loosened the cloth around Athene's body and like magic, the princess fell quiet.

"How in the world-?!"

"I didn't raise five children for nothing," Tohara snorted. "You can keep her warm without wrapping her up like a mummy. It just makes her uncomfortable."

"Oh thank the gods, I thought she just hated everything," Nike sniffled. She hadn't realized just how tired Athene had been making her over the last week.

"Don't be silly, she's too young to-" Tohara paused and frowned, giving the child a good hard look. "Oh, you might be right; I've never seen such a disgruntled looking infant." She turned Athene's face this way and that. "Hmm..."

"What is it?"

"Nothing. It's just that this is definitely that idiot's child," Tohara said, continuing her examination. "What did you say her name was?"

"Athene."

"Hmm, interesting choice."

"It just came to me," Nike admitted. "I have no idea where it came from, it just seemed to fit."

"Curious... What color are her eyes?"

"Blue. She hardly ever opens them so I can't be sure of the shade."

"They'll be green within the month," the old woman announced, moving on to check Athene's little hands and feet.

"How do you know?!"

"Green eyes are the sign of a particularly powerful practitioner of Amefurashi," Tohara shrugged. "There are exceptions but nearly every high ranked practitioner inherits green eyes."

"But, no one thought I'd be able to summon the rain when I was a child, and I have green eyes!"

"Having green eyes doesn't make you into a skilled practitioner. It just happens that most of our best singers have green eyes. Besides, you were difficult to train, but even then you rose to become our most talented summoner." She finished her examination and handed the baby back to her mother. "I don't think this child is going to have your problem though; if she's trained, she's going to be a terribly powerful practitioner."

"How are you so sure?" Nike asked, surprised to find that Athene had fallen asleep.

"You get a sense for these things when you're old. She's got all the signs, if you know where to look. That personality isn't normal either; she takes after your husband but she's also channeling your frustrations. She's a rather powerful telepath."

 _Great, just what I always wanted; a miniature Livi with the ability to pick up on my emotions._

"Since she's an infant, she's venting all those feelings in the only way she knows how," Tohara continued. "Which is why, as you noticed, she seems to be upset all the time."

"So she _doesn't_ hate everything?"

"I didn't say that; she's still that brat's kid," the old woman snorted. "Who knows what she's thinking?"

* * *

"So, do you hate me too?"

Nike lay stretched out on her side, resting her head on her palm as she watched Athene wriggle on the bed. Though she had just been fed and changed, she looked as unhappy as ever.

"Are you mad because I'm so tired all the time? Because I'm feeling sad?" she asked, taking one of the baby's tiny hands. Her fingers closed around Nike's thumb. "Or are you just angry because you wanted a better mother?"

Athene blinked her eyes slightly, looking straight at Nike. She seemed to be reproaching her mother.

"I guess that doesn't help," Nike laughed. "So you understand a little, huh... I guess you really are Livi's daughter; he's too smart for his own good too."

The baby made a face.

"You're not cute at all," Nike said, patting her tummy softly. "You'd be much cuter if you would just stop being so hard to please. I'm trying to live up to your expectations here, but I'm new to this, you know. And you don't even know your daddy so you'd best not hope for a better alternative."

Athene seemed to disagree.

"What, you think he might be a better parent? He's not even here! Hell if I know where he is. And even if he _was_ here, you'd still be stuck with me. Livi might be your daddy, but I'm still your mama. Even if you think I'm a terrible parent, I'll keep doing my best. And even if you _do_ hate me, I still love you, you little demon."

She bent down to kiss the baby's forehead and turned down the lamp.

As she drifted off to sleep, she thought she heard Athene laugh.

 _See? You're much cuter when you're happy._

* * *

"Talea? May I come in?"

Silence.

Livi knocked again. "Talea? Are you there?"

He thought he heard the sound of someone shifting on a mattress. "Talea, I'm coming in, okay?"

He waited for a moment but she didn't respond. He pushed the door open.

The room was dark and smelled musty, like it hadn't been ventilated for a few days. It was clean, though that didn't mean anything; Rosalind and the other maids would have continued to clean even if Talea was indisposed.

"Talea?" he called softly. He could make out her figure on the bed; it was the middle of the day but the curtains were drawn, blocking out most of the sunlight.

"Go away, Livi," she said. Her voice was rough and scratchy; like she hadn't spoken in quite some time.

He ignored her command and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Rosalind says you haven't been feeling well," he said, staring at nothing in particular. It had taken some time for him to recover from his illness, but as soon as he was free to leave his room, Talea's maid had anxiously asked him to check on her mistress. She had been locked up since her punishment and had started refusing to eat.

"Go away, I said," she insisted. She was lying face down, her face hidden in her pillow.

"No, I know you got hurt for my sake, again. I'm not just going to let you hide forever."

"You know _nothing_ ," she cried suddenly, and he was shocked to see her shoulders shake with sobs.

 _Talea?! What happened to her iron resolve?!_

"What's wrong?" he asked apprehensively, reaching to hold her hand. She pulled it away.

"None of your business!"

"Are the injuries that bad?" he asked, worried. Rosalind had told him that the Earl's daughter had had her arm broken, but not much else.

"No, just go away!"

"I can't do that," he said firmly. "We're partners, remember?"

"Shut up!" she shouted. "Shut up, shut up, shut up! What does that matter?! What does anything matter?!"

Livi was taken aback. Never had she so much as reprimanded him.

"Talea, what's gotten into you?"

She turned her head to glare at him and he felt his stomach drop. The entire right side of her face was bruised a nasty yellow color.

 _I'll fucking kill Dainer if it's the last thing I do,_ he thought angrily.

"Are you just pretending to be stupid?!" she snarled. Her eyes were disturbingly wild.

"W-what?"

"Leave! There's no reason for you to stay anymore!"

"What are you talking about?" He was at a loss.

She suddenly sat up, and Livi was oddly reminded of Nike when she was furious. As if to confirm that impression, Talea hurled her pillow at him with her good arm.

"How can you be so _calm?!_ You said you loved her! Why are you acting like it doesn't matter that she's _dead?!"_

He felt his blood freeze.

"What are you talking about?" he repeated, but his voice had taken on a strained quality.

"The queen! Princess Nike!" Talea shouted angrily as tears fell on her chemise. "She's been killed, didn't anyone _tell_ you?!"

 _No, she's wrong, of course she's wrong, I was just..._

 _Just what? I can't remember..._

"Who told you this?!" he said suddenly, taking her arm more roughly that he intended to. "Who said she was dead?!"

Talea's voice shook as she spoke. "My father, he ordered her killed on the day you fell ill. They found her body in the city; she was shot while trying to run away."

 _No no no, this is a nightmare, it's not real! Nike is alive, she's alive and waiting back home..._

"I didn't believe him; I thought he was just trying to punish me for what I said when you were ill," she sobbed. "But Rosalind, she went out to the city yesterday, and she heard the news. Your own uncle and several of her servants confirmed that it was her body they found. The whole country is in mourning; they say she was killed by an assassin."

Hundreds of thoughts ran through his head, but still, the image of Nike lying in her own blood like Sheila had...

"If you're lying to me, Talea Dainer, I swear I will cut your head from your neck myself, promises be damned!" he shouted, shaking her hard. She shook her head, still crying her heart out.

"I would never," she said through her tears. "This is all my fault; if only I hadn't said what I did, if only I hadn't upset my father! I killed her, I killed Nike-sama, just like I killed..." her voice trailed off and it took Livi a second to process what she was saying.

"What, who else died?!" he demanded.

 _Why do I even care? If Nike is dead, what does it matter?!_

"It doesn't matter!" she screamed, echoing his thoughts. "They're dead, they're both dead! Please, Livi, have mercy! Kill me! I don't want to live without her!"

 _No, I'm the one who can't live without her... I can't..._

Almost instinctively, he reached for the pocket he usually kept his pistol in. Of course, he hadn't been carrying one since he arrived in Keilt, but that wasn't what stayed his hand.

 _Why?! She's gone, Nike is gone! There's no reason to stay here! Why am I hesitating?!_

 _I don't_ want _to live without her! So why?! Why am I so sure that I don't want to die?! What is wrong with me?!_

"Livi... please, please kill me! I killed the woman you loved, the woman I loved! I killed our- I... I can't do this anymore!"

She was quickly falling apart; Livi couldn't help it, he took her trembling body in his arms.

"You didn't kill her," he said, his voice shaking. "It wasn't you; we killed her together, we failed to protect her. This is my fault as much as yours..."

"You don't _understand_ ," Talea cried, burying her face in his shoulder. "If I hadn't blurted out what I did... If I hadn't been so careless...! She'd still be alive! And so would our child!"

The meaning of her words was not lost on him. _Oh no._

"You lied...?" he whispered, horrified.

"I didn't know, I didn't know! I thought I was protecting you, I thought I was protecting Nike-sama! How could I tell anyone?! I'm sorry, _I'm sorry!_ I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." It was like a mantra. Her repeated apologies echoed in his ears.

 _She's not apologizing to me... Neither of us wanted that child, but for her to have it ripped away from her, so brutally, by her own father... And then to find out about..._

Another wail joined in with Talea's voice, and he realized it was his own.

His heart was already so heavy with loss that he couldn't be sure if the tears he shed were for Nike or Talea.

 _Both. I'm grieving for both._

Something clicked in his mind.

 _I can't leave her behind, and I can't let her die. Maybe I'm selfish for thinking this; I know she's suffered enough..._

 _But... Nike would never abandon someone so broken. And if I'm too much of a coward to die... then I at least want to help Talea escape this pain. It's the least I can do for everything she's sacrificed._

He couldn't say how long they stayed there, crying. He couldn't be sure if his resolve would last through the day or if his despair would drive him to pull the trigger on himself after all. All he knew was that the small girl in front of him, that resilient blade of grass, had finally been snapped in half, and he was the only thing still holding her together.


	14. The Heir of Sun and Rain

"PUT THAT DOWN, RIGHT NOW!"

"No!"

"PUT IT DOWN, OR YOU'LL BE SORRY!"

"Don't want to!"

"Goddammit Nia! PUT THE LITTLE MONSTER DOWN, I MEAN IT!"

"No way! She's too cute!"

"Don't care, she's _my_ child, and she needs to bathe, _now!"_

"She doesn't want to," Nia insisted, hoisting Athene onto her shoulders. The little girl was shrieking with laughter.

"Run, auntie, run! We have to escape the bath!"

"ATHENE, GET BACK HERE! If you're not ready for your lessons in twenty minutes, Neil is going to kill me!"

"No, I hate lessons! Neil can do them himself! Auntie, hurry!"

"What the heck is going on so early in the morning?" Kara yawned, walking into the parlor. The cushions on the floor were scattered all around and a sharp wind was blowing. Nia and Athene shot past her into the hall, followed by a very stressed-looking Nike. They crashed down the corridor, screaming their lungs out as they went. "Hey!" Kara shouted. "Grandma will have your heads if you keep making a racket!" she called after her sisters, but neither of them seemed to notice.

 _Whatever,_ she shrugged, and arranged a cushion for herself.

It had been three years since Kara last had a quiet morning. Ever since Nike returned home with her husband's child, the palace had become a noisy and boisterous place. If it wasn't Athene screaming bloody murder, it was Nike having a loud breakdown and having to be consoled that her daughter did not, in fact, hate her in particular; she hated everything equally. As Athene got older, the meltdowns changed; the princess was a veritable force of nature, absolutely wild, clever, and proud to boot, and Nike was often at a loss as to how to keep the girl in one place. "Little monster" or "demon" was the affectionate nickname employed by the entire palace, and Athene was more likely to respond to it than the much milder "Thena" that her family used.

Kara found her niece quite entertaining; she was unusually intelligent for a three year old, and her vocabulary was so advanced that she came up with incredibly preposterous sounding sentences and gave commands with all the pomp of an empress. It was no wonder that she was constantly compared to her estranged father, a comparison that Kara knew both pleased and tormented her younger sister.

Five minutes later, Nike stormed back into the parlor, her daughter tucked securely under her arm.

"Just one day. _One_. That's all I ask for, one day where the whole world isn't working against me," she muttered, setting Athene down and unbuttoning her blouse.

"Mama..."

"But no, instead I've got Neil constantly nagging about controlling my daughter and the state of her studies, my sisters kidnapping her at every opportunity, and everyone in the palace _spoiling_ her to pieces, as if she needed more!"

"Mama..."

"Arms up," Nike ordered, and the little girl raised her arms obediently. Nike pulled the blouse off. "You'd think she'd have actually _met_ Livi, running around as if she owns the place!" Nike continued under her breath, ignoring Athene's calls. "Though Livi would actually _take care_ of his responsibilities, and you'd never catch _him_ running from a bath," she muttered as she finished undressing Athene.

"Mama, auntie Kara is laughing."

Nike spun around. "Kara! Why didn't you say you were there?!"

"I've been here the whole time, Nike," Kara laughed. "I was here before you came back, but you were clearly busy."

Nike blushed slightly. "N-never mind that!"

"You know, you keep saying that everyone spoils Thena, but you're the one who does it the most," Kara said, grinning. "You like to pretend you're strict but you let her get away with bloody murder when it comes down to it."

"I- I do not!"

"Oh please, you're putty in her hands. By the way, she's escaping right now."

Nike lunged for the girl, who was trying to sneak off in the nude. She just barely managed to grab her around the waist.

"Oh no you don't!" she growled as Athene shrieked. "It's bath time, you little demon."

She threw Athene over her shoulder and carried her off to the bathhouse across the courtyard.

"Ah, she's so stressed out, she hasn't even realized that Athene's just like her when she was a kid," Kara mused. "She's always wondering where she got that rebellious streak from, but it definitely wasn't from brother-in-law." She picked out a banana from one of the bowls in the middle of the low tables.

"If that's true, it's no wonder that she's a terror." Kara wasn't surprised to see Neil enter the parlor.

"I've always meant to ask you, but is it normal for butlers in the Sun Kingdom to be so sneaky?" she asked, pointing her half-eaten banana at him.

"For the last time, Kara-sama, I'm not a butler, I'm a _chamberlain_. And I'm not _sneaky_ , I merely try to stay out of my lord and lady's way."

"Whatever. Doesn't that mean you end up spying a lot?"

"I wouldn't call it _spying_ , exactly..."

"Eavesdropping, intelligence gathering, take your pick," Kara said, taking another bite. "The point is, you end up listening on other people's conversations."

"Ahem, I suppose..."

"So, how much dirt are you willing to dish on my sisters? I'll pay you for any good tidbit you've found since you guys got here."

"Kara-sama, even if I _did_ have such intel, I would _never_ sell out my mistress or her sisters! Especially not for the paltry change of a princess who tried to pay me in food last time!"

"Jeez, you sure don't let things go. I told you, I miscalculated how much money I was carrying, okay? I've got enough this time."

"And why do you want this information?" Neil asked suspiciously.

"No reason really, I'm just bored and you never know when some blackmail will come in handy."

"You're terrifying, Kara-sama."

"So are you, Neil." Her tone suddenly changed. "By the way, you got news from the mainland, didn't you?" she asked sharply, turning her eyes on him. The servant went pale.

"I-I don't know what you're-"

"Don't lie to a hypnotist, Neil. It always ends badly."

"I beg your pa-"

"ATHENE, I STILL HAVE TO FINISH ARRANGING YOUR HAIR!"

"No! It hurts, stay away!"

" _ATHENE, MAMA IS LOSING HER PATIENCE, GET BACK HERE NOW!"_

The little whirlwind flew by in a flash of black hair, fully dressed but with her braid only half-done. Kara grabbed at the back of Athene's pinafore.

"Gotcha."

"Let go, Auntie!"

"No can do, your mama is getting really mad over there, Thena."

"That's why I have to _go!_ " she insisted, stamping a foot. "Let go, this instant!"

"Your big vocabulary isn't gonna work on me, honey." She gave the handful of fabric over to Neil. "I believe you were about to start her lessons."

Kara stood up and left the parlor, giving Neil one last knowing look and a wave before she turned the corner and was gone.

* * *

While Athene begrudgingly went through her lessons, Nike took care of her spare correspondence. They were mostly letters from within the duchy, with an occasional intelligence report gathered by Neil through his ever-prolific spy network. Since she had left the Sun Kingdom, however, very little else of note came her way.

Nike knew that she had been reported missing, and she was aware of the claims that she had been assassinated. Tohara agreed with Nike that it was best to leave the rumors be; her current priority was staying alive, raising her daughter, and planning her eventual return to the Sun Kingdom. So when a letter of condolence was sent to the Duchy expressing the king and Prime Minister's sincere regrets at the loss of the queen, Nike merely wondered why Bard had signed a statement saying that he had personally identified her corpse. True, Livi's uncle had no idea if she'd survived after fleeing, but it seemed odd to Nike that he was claiming to have found her body. Perhaps he was giving her the leeway to escape without being followed by her would-be assassins, or perhaps he was being pressured. She didn't know, and she didn't have time to worry about it.

Most of Nike's focus lately was on raising Athene, but there was another important matter she couldn't ignore. For three years now, she had been trying to find Livi. Now that she was relatively free to act, she was determined to get to the bottom of his disappearance. According to Neil's reports, he was still officially missing, though occasional orders in his handwriting were apparently still delivered to the castle from time to time. Before she fled, Nike thought that he had been called away by a matter that he didn't want her to know about. She'd assumed it was something from his past, something that cut through to his damaged heart and that he was afraid to involve her in. Now, she was less sure.

Whatever had pulled him away from the castle was still keeping him there, wherever that was. The more time passed between her supposed death and his absence, the more suspicious Nike became. In the first place, the Livi she knew would never take someone else's word that she had died. He would have rushed back to the capital to confirm it, or done something desperate like attempt suicide; no matter how angry he may have been with her, Nike knew better than anyone how fragile Livi was without her. Yet Neil's intelligence stated that he had not done any such thing, nor had he set foot in Ginitarix; not even to attend her supposed funeral.

She had some doubts, of course. Perhaps Livi had changed, had stopped loving her. Perhaps he was so far gone that she no longer mattered to him. Perhaps he really had been the one to order her assassination. It was hard to believe, and painful to think about, but she couldn't pretend to know what he was thinking anymore.

She wanted to be strong. She wanted to believe that there was no way any of that was true. But with each passing day that went by without him, the negative thoughts grew a little louder.

Still, even if this was the case, why was he still missing after three whole years? If it was true he didn't care about her anymore, why continue avoiding the capital? What point was there in staying away from the castle when she was gone?

She clung to those questions the way she clung to Athene, and though she felt no closer to understanding what had happened after all those years, she was still determined to answer them.

* * *

 _"So, how was the demon today?"_

 _I am this close to just giving her to one of my sisters. I don't know how much more of this I can take._

 _"I know she drives you crazy, but we both know you'd never let someone else look after Athene."_

 _I dunno, some days I really want to just chain her down._

 _"So do it. Neil used to chain YOU down."_

 _No thanks, I don't want to have to physically restrain my child._

 _"Fair enough. I wish I could help."_

 _I don't think you could do much to control her either._

 _"Oh I don't know about that. Being king helps."_

 _She doesn't care who you are. I'm her mother AND a queen but I might as well be a passing butterfly for all the attention she pays me._

 _"You're too soft on her."_

 _Why does everyone say that? Don't I run around trying to get her to behave all day? Don't I give her time outs or take her toys away when she's been bad?_

 _"Nike, those are hardly punishments."_

 _Well I'm not gonna hit her if that's what you're insinuating._

 _"No, never."_

 _Oh, sorry..._

 _"I'm not the one that needs that apology._ _But anyway, what I was getting at was that you're going to have to make her respect you. She walks all over you, so start showing her that you mean business. Don't let her have dessert unless she behaves. Tell her you'll only read her a book if she does her lessons properly. That sort of thing."_

 _I've tried but..._

 _"Less trying, more doing. She's a smart kid, she'll figure out that if she wants to be spoiled, she's gonna have to work for it."_

 _She just had to be your child, Livi._

 _"What are you talking about, princess? I'm giving you the exact methods I use to handle YOU."_

 _WHAT?!_

 _"Eh? You really hadn't figured it out? She looks like me and thinks like me, but that wild streak is all you, dear wife. That little hurricane is just as much a Remercier as she is an Ifriquiya. Maybe more."_

 _That's not true!_

 _"It is. You're the only one who hasn't noticed; probably because she's just like you. Just smarter, and much, much prettier."_

 _I'll pretend you didn't say that._

 _"Hah, it doesn't make it less true."_

 _That's it, I'm getting a divorce._

 _"I was joking! See, I was just kidding! Please don't divorce me..."_

 _I'll reconsider if you behave. And if you give me your dessert for the rest of your life._

 _"... and you can't do this with our daughter, why again?"_

 _I love her more._

 _"...ouch. I guess I deserve that."_

 _You bet you do._

* * *

"Milady, there's something we need to talk about..."

Nike jerked awake to find that she had fallen asleep over her letters.

"W-what?"

"Your Highness, please stop falling asleep in the middle of the day; it's a bad example for the princess," Neil said crossly. Athene was being supervised by Lanra while she painstakingly copied three different alphabets at one of the low tables in the parlor. She was being taught the Rain Duchy's native tongue, the Sun Kingdom's dialect, and the common tongue simultaneously and learning much faster than Nike ever had.

"Sorry," she said, wiping away a bit of drool at the corner of her mouth. She gave an involuntary yawn, causing Neil to frown again. "What was it that you were saying?"

Perhaps it was her imagination, but she thought he looked a bit uncomfortable.

"There's something important we need to discuss." He sat down on the cushion across from her and reached into his breast pocket. He pulled out an envelope and placed it on the table between them.

She gave him a questioning look. "What is it?" Neil closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"This is going to be difficult for you, Nike-sama, but there's news from the mainland."

Something lodged itself in her throat.

"Is it about Livi?"

"I'm afraid so, Your Majesty." Her worst fears suddenly sprang to mind. Neil seemed to recognize the look of panic on her face because he hurried to reassure her. "Ah no, nothing is wrong with him! As far as I can tell, he seems to be in good health!"

She breathed a sigh of relief. _Oh thank the gods, I thought he was sick... or worse..._

"Then, what is it?" she asked, confused. Neil pursed his lips grimly and slid the letter toward her. She looked down and pulled out the parchment.

It was written in code, but it was one she'd had to learn in order to read Neil's intelligence reports. She read it slowly to make sure she didn't make any mistakes.

 _Neil-sama,_ _His Majesty is rumored to be returning to the capital no later than the end of the month. Several sources have confirmed that the palace is preparing for his return._ _He is not coming alone. The prime minister has ordered rooms prepared for a woman and her entourage. Her identity is unknown. There is a rumor in Ginitarix that he is planning to remarry, soon. It is unclear if this is true, but there is no doubt that he is bringing in a woman._ _We will be in touch as soon as we find out more._

Nike felt her hands tremble as she read the note over once more to make sure she hadn't misread it.

She looked up at Neil, but found she couldn't stop shaking.

"Mama, why are you crying?"

As if from nowhere, Athene suddenly appeared at her shoulder. Those protuberant green eyes stared right through her soul.

 _Crap, she'll read my thoughts..._

Athene cocked her head like a bird and blinked. "Is daddy leaving?"

 _Too late._

"No, Thena, daddy isn't here, remember?"

"Then why did you think he was leaving, mama?"

"No reason, don't worry, okay?" Nike tried to wipe her mind as clean as she could and reached to stroke Athene's soft black hair, but her thoughts remained cloudy.

"What does "abandon" mean, mama?" she asked suddenly.

 _Ack, I need to get this child some black lotus stones_ _. I'll ask Kara-nee to help me pierce her ears._

"What's "pierce" mean?"

 _The sooner the better_ , Nike thought.

"Neil, can you please go get Kara for me?"

 _Once that's done, I can focus on Livi. And how I'm going to deal with this._

She was torn between wanting to kidnap him to show him that she was still alive and murdering him in his sleep.

* * *

 _Ow._

Athene flinched as her aunt poked a needle through the fleshy part of her ear. She decided she didn't like the idea of "piercing" after all.

"Auntie, why are you stabbing me?" she whined, kicking her feet impatiently.

"It's so we can put these nice earrings on you," Kara said cheerfully. She held out two little round black stones attached to pins. _Oh, like mama's ear things._

"Don't want 'em."

 _"Sorry Thena, you need them."_ Her mother was dabbing at the hole her aunt had made with a ball of cotton and something that stung, and Athene easily picked up on her thoughts.

"Why?" she asked.

Nike and Kara exchanged a look. "So you can look prettier," Kara said.

"Liar."

 _"That's why,"_ her aunt thought as she poked a similar hole in Athene's other ear.

 _So you can lie? Why?_

She frowned but refrained from asking. She knew better than to think they were going to answer everything.

"Okay, here we go." Kara handed the "earrings" to Nike, who then put them on her ears. Her first thought was that they were heavy. The second was that they made everything quiet.

"Mama, I can't hear!" she complained, startled at the change.

Kara muttered something she didn't understand, and the earrings suddenly flashed hot.

"Ow! It hurts!" She frantically focused on her mother's green eyes to get to the bottom of it, but found she couldn't read her thoughts. It was unnerving.

"There, that should do it," Kara said. "She won't be able to take them off, they've been sealed with a spell. She can still use her powers, but she'll need to learn how to control them through the barrier."

"Thanks, Kara-nee, this should really help." She picked Athene up and set her on her lap, the little girl trying to rip the little black stones off.

"I don't like them! I don't like it!" she shouted, but no matter how she pulled they wouldn't come off.

 _"Thena, if your mama thinks you need them, you should listen, okay?"_

 _I don't like them! I can't hear!_

 _"That's not true, you can hear me, right?"_

 _But I can't hear mama or auntie!_

 _"Of course you can. Listen."_

Athene strained her ears but all she could hear was whatever they opened their mouths to say.

 _No I can't!_

 _"You can hear them talking, right?"_

 _Yeah..._

 _"Then what's the problem?"_

 _I want to hear the other stuff too!_

 _"Thena, how would you feel if people could hear what you were thinking?"_

Athene stopped to think for a second and gasped.

 _They would find out where I hid all those candies...!_

 _"Ha, sure. You couldn't keep any secrets at all! Wouldn't that be terrible?"_

 _I guess..._

 _"Good girl. You can't hear your mama and your aunts but you can always talk to me, okay? Even these earrings aren't enough to keep_ me _out!"_

 _Wah, you're amazing Daddy!_

 _"Heheh, I am, aren't I?"_

 _Then, you aren't leaving, right?_

 _"Of course not. I love you and your mama more than anything."_

"Thena?" Nike asked.

"Huh?"

"You okay there, kiddo?" Kara reached to check the earrings.

"Yep," she said, feeling relieved now that she knew she could still hear at least one person, and that he wasn't going anywhere after all.


	15. The Scion of Light and Blade

As he walked through the halls of the Earl's manor, Livi wondered when he had become so familiar with these dark, wooden floors. It seemed like just yesterday he had been dragged here by the threat of Nike's assassination, but in reality, three whole years had flown by. He was still as much of a prisoner at seventeen as he had been at fourteen, but a lot had changed since then.

For one, Nike was dead.

Even after this long, his heart still ached at the thought of her. No, it was more than that: his waking thoughts were consumed by her, his dreams a mix of memories and fantasies too beautiful and too painful for him to handle. He couldn't forget her voice, her smile, the sweet smell of her hair on his pillow, the sound of her breathing when he woke up in the morning, the way her eyes shone when she saw something she liked... even the insults she sometimes threw at him occupied a special place in his dreams. That he could still be alive, three whole years after she had left the world, baffled and tortured him.

Twice, he had almost given up. Three days after he heard about her death, he had found himself with a letter opener in hand. He couldn't remember how it had gotten there, nor what he had been using it for. All he could think was how very easy it would be to cut a line across his throat, how simple it would be to end the suffering. If a servant hadn't walked in on him and wrestled the blade away from his neck, he would have willingly drawn that line.

The second time was about a month later. After Nike's death, Talea had refused to sleep with Livi. He agreed. There was no point in complying with the Earl if his precious hostage was already dead. When several weeks passed without any progress, Dainer stormed into Talea's bedroom and dragged her out by the roots of her hair. He beat her brutally, and when Livi tried to help her, the Earl easily threw him aside and gave him the same treatment. Once he was satisfied, he kicked his daughter like a rag doll and left them lying in the parlor, broken and bloody, without another word. Half-conscious, Livi felt Talea's fingers grip his hand and he heard her hoarse voice asking him to kill her for the hundredth time since Nike's assassination. As he lay there, his nose broken and his body aching, it seemed a small mercy to clasp his hands around her thin neck and grant her wish. When she was gone, when she was free of the hell that was her life, he could finally follow after her and Nike without any regrets.

But he couldn't do it. As he reached out to Talea, their eyes met, and she smiled at him through her bloodstained tears. Though the two women were completely different, for some reason her defeated smile reminded him of Nike. The thought of her filled him with sudden shame. He couldn't kill Talea with his own hands any more than he could have killed Nike. To do that, and then run away from the pain in his heart by dying was unthinkable, an insult to the wife who had loved life and the world so much.

After that, he resolved to be stronger. The Earl had decided that since Nike was no longer an option to keep the king collared, Talea would suffice. He had seen how close they were and he had no qualms of using his daughter as a hostage if it ensured Livius' cooperation. Though Livi couldn't love Talea the way he loved Nike, he did care about her deeply and the threat to her safety was enough to cow them back into sharing a bed.

The days wore on, and Talea's company was often the only thing that kept him sane. He knew that it was the same for her. Perhaps it was selfish, but he didn't want to let her give up after holding on so long, and he thought if he could just protect her from getting hurt, they might have a chance at surviving and, someday, escaping.

Then things changed again.

Two years ago, on a particularly cold night, Talea became gravely ill. She bled terribly and fell into a dangerous fever. The doctor realized she was suffering a very early miscarriage and did all he could to save her life. She made it through the night. Somehow, the child did too.

Afterward, he told her that going through the pregnancy would be incredibly dangerous. The repeated trauma to her body and her previous miscarriage had damaged some of her internal organs over time, and it would be a miracle if either she or the baby survived at all. Livi tried to reason with her and asked her to reconsider, but she was stubborn; after the one she lost, she would not kill another child, even if she died in the process. The decision was made for them when the doctor spoke to Dainer, who immediately insisted his daughter see the pregnancy through.

For the most part, the next few months were uneventful. The doctor made daily visits to Talea and decided it would be safest if she prioritized bed rest. Livi constantly kept her company in her room and it seemed like things would go smoothly.

Then six and a half months in, she went into premature labor. It was a dangerous birth and the doctor had to cut into her belly to take the child out. The tiny thing was underdeveloped and would not breathe, and Talea was already at death's door when the doctor began to try to close her up. Livi was there the entire time, holding Talea's hand and praying to anyone or anything that would listen that at the very least, they spare his closest friend.

The gods must have listened because not only did Talea survive, but the premature baby suddenly began to cry.

Once she was no longer in critical danger and safely sedated, the doctor handed Livi his child, a son, and instructed him on how to clean the infant. Livi held the tiny, wrinkled creature as carefully as he could, and as the blood washed off into the basin, the doctor explained that Talea would never be able to carry or birth another child. Had it not been such an awful experience, watching Talea and their child come so close death, Livi would have found a savage pleasure in knowing that Dainer had unknowingly self-sabotaged his plans.

The child was named Cecil, after some long forgotten royal ancestor that Bard was also named for. Livi didn't care much for the name, but Talea liked it so he didn't argue. Cecil was carefully monitored for a few months to ensure that he would survive his premature development, but once he passed the danger point, it was clear that he was a rather healthy and robust baby. Unfortunately, though a great relief to Livi and Talea, Cecil's survival meant that Lord Dainer's plans had somehow begun falling into place, against all the odds.

If it were up to his parents, Cecil would have grown up far away from politics and even further away from his grandfather. He was a sweet child, quiet and reserved, but also clever and fundamentally cheerful. Neither Talea nor Livi had really wanted a child, but Cecil drew them in with his warm smile and unconditional love, and before they knew it they were both head over heels and taken in by his innocent charm. The thought of what the Earl had in store for the child kept Livi awake at night.

Things might have been different if Cecil had been born a legitimate heir, but as a bastard, he was open to hundreds of terrible threats. Livi could force the government to accept the boy as the Sun Prince, but that would not stop the Dainers' enemies at court from moving to eliminate their ambitious peers' rise to power. A bastard, even a recognized one, was never respected as much as a legitimate child. Assassins would be after Cecil's little head from the day he stepped into the castle; Livi knew this all too well.

In order to protect him from that, Cecil had so far been raised secretly in Keilt. The kingdom knew nothing about its heir, and Livi was determined to keep it that way as long as he could. The longer he stalled Dainer's inevitable plan, the more time he bought for Cecil to live peacefully. It was the only thing he could do for his son, and the only thing he could do to continue fighting back against his wretched fate.

There was also another, more private, reason that he was in no hurry to get Cecil recognized as his heir. As self-serving as it seemed, he didn't want to tarnish Nike's memory with a scandal so soon after her death. Cecil was just about two years old, which meant that, in the public eye, Livi had been with another woman less than three months after his supposedly beloved wife had been killed. Of course, the reality was more complicated, but in truth, Livi was ashamed. He could say all the pretty words he wanted, but when it came down to it, he'd betrayed Nike. He loved Cecil, who was innocent of everything, and he cared about Talea in his own way, but if Livi could just honor Nike's memory quietly a while longer, he felt he could begin to atone for abandoning her, regardless of the circumstances.

* * *

"Milord, His Majesty is here."

"Thank you, Grant. Leave us."

Dainer was sitting at his desk, and Livi felt the usual surge of hatred as he watched the older man scribble a note. It was unfortunate, but Cecil had inherited much of the Dainer bloodline. Livi could see it in those brown eyes that the Earl and his daughter shared, in the man's broad nose, even the thin eyebrows. The only physical attributes Livi could claim to have passed on to his son were the shape of his face and his hair color, but since Talea and her father also had black hair, the second one was a bit of a stretch.

Lord Dainer finished writing and set his pen aside.

"Your Majesty," he said simply, fixing those brown eyes on Livi.

"What is it this time?" Livi asked impatiently. He had been called to the earl's office and he had no stomach for playing games with his jailer.

Dainer raised an eyebrow but did not rebuke Livi for his rudeness.

"Pardon me for interrupting your afternoon," he began. Livi tried not to show how much he would have given to shoot him right between the eyes. "There's something I'd like to discuss with you, milord."

"Then get on with it already," Livi scoffed.

"Very well. How is my grandson doing?"

"Fine," Livi said, narrowing his eyes. He didn't like Dainer going anywhere near Cecil, a sentiment Talea shared. Any conversation with Dainer that began with Cecil was bound to be trouble.

"Good. His birthday is next week, correct?"

"Y-yes."

"In that case, we'll be needing to prepare the castle for the celebration, don't you think?" Dainer did not so much as blink as he stared Livi down.

"No."

"Oh?"

"He's too young," Livi said, trying to control his temper. _Careful, one wrong move and all you'll do is set him on Talea._ "A two-year old can't fend for himself at court; the other lords will all have him on the list for assassination before we finish wishing him a happy birthday. I've told you before, Dainer, but putting your hopes on a bastard, especially a young one, is risky. In normal circumstances I'd love to watch you fail, but you're playing a dangerous game with _my_ son, and I won't let you use him the way you've used everyone else in this sick plan of yours," he warned.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken, Your Majesty. I don't wish to see my grandson slaughtered any more than you do. Cecil is irreplaceable to this family," he said, examining his fingernails lazily as if he were merely talking about the weather.

 _Irreplaceable as your pawn,_ Livi thought angrily. _You'd sacrifice him in a heartbeat if you thought Talea could have another child._

"He is, however, Your Highness's only child, is he not? I'm sure most of the kingdom would be thrilled to find that the king has a healthy heir."

"Like I said, that would be true if he was _legitimate_ ," Livi said through clenched teeth. "But he isn't, and nothing we do is going to change that. Even if Talea and I married now, he was still born out of wedlock; the Sun Priests won't have it, they'll use any excuse they can come up with to deny the request to recognize him. They can't stand the thought of my blood on the throne. He's not the son of the queen or even a concubine; he was conceived in adultery so he'll be declared unfit to rule. I know better than anyone how this works."

"You don't have to worry about the Priests, milord."

 _W-what?!_

"What are you talking about?! Do you know how much they hate me? Getting them to approve my marriage to Nike was-"

"Yes, it was difficult. But that was in regards to that heretical little girl," Dainer said, waving away the thought of Nike as if she was an unpleasant animal.

 _Don't. Don't rise to the bait. Breathe, Livius._

"That's ridiculous," Livi said. "The Priests would have opposed no matter who I brought to marry. Nike is- _was_... a princess from an ancient bloodline. She may have been from a different religion and ethnic group, but her blood was as royal as any of the other mainland princesses. They would have declared any of those princesses unfit as long as I was the one planning to marry them. And _noble_ as your house might be," he stressed sarcastically, "Talea is not of royal blood. If you think they'll allow a common-"

"Milord, how long do you think I've been working toward this?" Dainer suddenly interrupted. Livi glared but didn't answer. "It hasn't been easy, getting all the players in the right places. Even you would be surprised at how many of your former servants and friends I've had reporting to me, willingly or no. Years have been spent weaving all the right traps and promises. Talea was one of your original bride candidates, did you know?"

Livi blinked in surprise and Dainer laughed. "Oh yes, long before you met that princess, I worked hard to ensure my daughter would be placed on the list of candidates, despite the fact that she has no royal blood. I negotiated and schemed day and night to get the church to accept her as a potential bride and they came around to see how much more preferable it was to keep the royal bloodline within our own countrymen. I miscalculated and thought you might want to grow a bit older before pursuing marriage, so I didn't bother to press the issue too far at first. You can imagine my surprise when at the age of eleven you suddenly demanded a princess from that godforsaken island. That was my mistake, I admit it. When you brought that girl over and fought to get her acknowledged by the Sun Priests, I knew I had to rectify my mistake, so I sent Talea to court. The plan was to have her catch your eye; another mistake, sadly. My daughter is rather quiet and she knew nothing of what was expected of her, but I was counting on you to grow tired of your spitfire fiance and look for something more docile. Again, I miscalculated.

"Those two mistakes were troubling, but they were hardly fatal to the plan, Your Majesty. Before and after I failed to predict your movements, the rest of my contacts have been busy preparing alternatives, all to ensure my daughter and her child get on that throne. Milord, believe me when I say you should not worry about the Priests."

Livi felt his blood go cold. _Just how far does this go?!_

"You should know by now, Your Majesty. There is very little I wouldn't sacrifice to see this through." The look in his eyes was cold and cruel, far removed from his polite tone. "In one week's time, we will be moving to the capital. Arrangements have been made for your return. We'll talk about your marriage again after that's settled, milord." He picked up his pen and continued to write where he had left off; clearly Livi was dismissed.

 _If it takes the rest of my life, I_ will _see your head on the castle walls, Dainer. For my family, the one that still lives and the one that is gone, I'll make sure it is a long, painful death._

* * *

 _You think I could persuade her to take Cecil and flee? It would be easier for the two of them to get away unnoticed on their own. I could buy them time..._

 _"No, don't even think about it, Livi."_

 _I know, I know, it's desperate. But I'm running out of ideas here. Even legitimized, Cecil is going to be hated by the other factions in the nobility. He'd be far less safe than Athene would be in the same situation. I don't want him anywhere near the castle._

 _"It's not like I don't understand how you feel. I've been raising a child too, you know. The thought of someone getting their hands on her..."_

 _I know, it's my fault. I'm sorry..._

 _"You don't have to keep apologizing, idiot. But if you die I really won't forgive you. There has to be a way to protect him without sacrificing yourself."_

 _I've got nothing. The best I can do is to try to keep an eye on him at all times and hope that Dainer's network proves itself useful._

* * *

"What did my father want?"

Talea tickled Cecil's feet as the three of them lay in bed together. Livi was in a rather bad mood after her father had called him away that afternoon. When he came back, he asked not to be disturbed and fell asleep in his room, something he only did when he was feeling helpless and resentful.

Livi sighed.

"He wants us to go back to court. With Cecil."

"Go, daddy?" Cecil asked sleepily.

"Oh, nothing," Livi said, stroking his hair gently. "How about we finish that book about the traveler?"

"Ya! Mommy, weed it!" He said, throwing his arms in the air happily. Cecil still had a bit of a lisp and though he was clever, his sentences were fairly simple.

"Okay, okay, hold on," Talea said, taking the book from the bedside table. She caught Livi's eye as she opened it to the page they had left off on, indicating that they would talk as soon as Cecil was asleep.

It didn't take long. Talea only had to read about four pages before the little boy's eyes drooped closed and his breathing evened out. She pulled the covers over him and turned her attention to Livi.

"You refused, I imagine," she said, restarting the conversation where it had left off. Livi rubbed his temples tiredly.

"A lot of good it did me," he said. "We're leaving next week. And," he paused. "It seems like he's determined to marry us in order to legitimize Cecil."

"Will it protect him better if we do?"

"Normally, no. He's a bastard in the eyes of the church even if we marry. They wouldn't accept him so easily, and without official sanction from the Sun Priests he'd be open prey for other ambitious nobles."

"Then..."

"Your father says we don't need to worry about that. I think he's blackmailed or struck a deal with someone high up in the ranks."

"I see..." she sighed and rested her cheek on her palm, watching Cecil sleep peacefully between them.

"I can't think of a way to outsmart him," Livi said angrily. "Years I've been trying to outmaneuver him, to create an opportunity to escape or fight back. But even now, even when I'm not a powerless child, there's nothing I can do to stop it."

"Livi, my father has been engineering this plan for far longer than we probably think. He's obsessed, and he's not a man to cross."

"Why does he even care so much about the throne?!"

"I've never heard his reasoning, but I can guess," Talea said wearily. "He likes control, and he likes power. My family has always been proud. Do you know why our insignia is a fox and sword?"

"There are so many coats of arms I can hardly memorize the significance of every family crest in the kingdom."

She nodded. "The fox refers to one of our ancestors. During the war with the southern kingdoms hundreds of years ago, he was a general who betrayed the Sun King and sided with an enemy country. He was a renowned strategist and the loss of his troops was a heavy blow. Just when it seemed like the king's army would lose, the Dainer men double-crossed the enemy and attacked them from within their ranks. Some, like the king, thought the general was a hero after that, a cunning tactician. But there were others, like his rivals at court, that denounced his strategy as treasonous and dishonest. They began calling him "The Double Edged Fox," but the general found this amusing and adopted the name. Apparently, he was playing a double game; if the benefits of destroying the Sun King outweighed the cons, he would have remained on the enemy side. Luck had it for our family and the kingdom that he chose not to. Obviously, that story eventually influenced our heraldry."

"So basically, your family prides itself on being duplicitous and untrustworthy," Livi said coldly.

"Well, you could say that," Talea shrugged, not bothered in the slightest by his tone. "Some of us don't equate cleverness with betrayal, but my father has always firmly believed that to get ahead, one needs to be quick-witted like a fox and prepared like a Dainer. Which is why it won't be easy to catch him unawares, Livi."

"That doesn't mean I won't keep trying."

"No, but Cecil and I need you. Be careful."

"Ugh, I know... But if someone so much as lays a finger on Cecil, I swear..."

 _I'd kill them myself,_ she thought.

She meant it.

* * *

Cecil was dreaming about a glade.

Though he had rarely been taken outside of the house, his mother and father had once carried him to a quiet place in the woods on the manor property. He had loved it there, it was so green and peaceful, and there were trees all around, stretching far up to frame a blue patch of sky. Cecil lacked the words to express his delight, but he had always wanted to go back.

In the dream, he could. He ran around the clearing, laughing and hugging his favorite stuffed toy. He saw his father sitting beneath a tree and called out excitedly.

"Daddy, daddy! Pwetty!"

His father didn't hear him. Cecil pouted and called again.

"Daddy!"

Livi didn't so much as look at him. It made Cecil feel anxious. He took a step forward and suddenly realized his father was speaking to someone.

It was a pretty woman, a tall one. She was sitting near Livi and though it was hard to see her face, Cecil thought she looked kind. She had long brown hair that seemed to float in the wind and he wondered if she was a fairy. She laughed at something his father said and her voice echoed across the glade. It was a beautiful voice, like bells. Cecil had never heard such a nice laugh.

He took another step and the woman suddenly disappeared. His father seemed at a loss, but he still didn't notice the little boy standing in the clearing, clutching his toy to his chest.

"Gotcha!"

Cecil nearly fell over in shock as something pushed him from behind.

"Ehhhh, you're supposed to be it now!" A girl circled around him, frowning. She had the same color hair as he did, but her eyes were green. Her clothes were strange and she had a weird accent. She looked kind of familiar, but he'd never seen her before in his life.

"It?"

"Yeah, it! Then you chase me!"

"What chase?"

"Wow, you don't know how to play? Unbelievable!" He had no idea what she was saying.

"Huh?"

"I guess you're too little...?"

He didn't understand, but he felt annoyed. He decided he didn't like her very much.

"Go way," he said, waving his toy at her. She blinked at him and shrugged.

"I'll come back when you can talk," she said, and ran in Livi's direction. She shouted something but Cecil couldn't hear. He was suddenly very sleepy.

The last thing he saw was Livi pick the girl up and swing her around, both of them laughing.

As his eyes fell closed, it occurred to Cecil that she looked just like his father.


	16. A Changing Wind

"No, I don't think she's ready yet, Grandmother..."

"Nonsense, look at her, she's already learning on her own! If we don't teach her properly she's going to pick up bad habits and she might hurt herself. Or someone else."

Nike sighed. She leaned her arm on the table, looking over to the other side of the parlor. Athene was on a time out, sitting on the floor and facing the corner sulkily. She had managed to summon wind without being taught by anyone and used it to cut through a rather valuable tapestry. Apparently, she had overheard her aunt Mira practicing and memorized the incantation despite not yet being fluent in the language of the Duchy. As punishment, she had had her voice sealed with a spell for a couple of hours.

"You have a point, but imagine what a terror she's going to be when she actually knows what she's doing!"

"Don't kid yourself, Nike. Your child is already a terror," Tohara said, raising an eyebrow. "I have never, not in all my years, heard of a child being able to summon a thing without proper training. And doing it while having a limiter? Unheard of! Normally you need years of practice to overcome a barrier, even if you're powerful enough to need one from a young age. But look at that little monster!" the old woman complained. "She memorized the incantation?! Just with that she managed to summon a cutting wind that could slice a tapestry in half?!"

"It's Livi," Nike explained tiredly. "She got his intelligence-"

"Intelligence is one thing; either that girl is a genius or a demon!"

"She's both. Livi is like that too. He really did conquer the world in three years; it wasn't his government or his advisors, I watched him work himself raw. He was only eight when he inherited the throne so it's no surprise that Thena is..." The two women turned to look at the girl, only to find her angrily throwing herself face down on the floor and having a rather violent but entirely silent tantrum. "Whatever _that_ is," Nike finished.

"What a pain! Why couldn't she just be a quiet, well behaved kid!? Why are all the children in this family so out of control!?"

"I apologize, Grandmother... I'm sorry you have to train another practitioner at your age-"

"Ha! What are you talking about? _I'm_ not teaching her. You're her mother, and you're the best singer in the duchy anyway. She's _your_ responsibility; no one asked you to have a child at your age in the first place. I'll help here and there, but that little monster is all yours."

"You can't be serious, she doesn't listen to me! Besides, I'm _leaving!_ I'm going back to the Sun Kingdom, remember?!"

"So? You're not leaving that crazy thing here with me, I told you already."

"Grandmother...!"

"Look, Nike," Tohara reached out to pat her granddaughter's hand. "I know you're having a hard time, and I know you want to keep your daughter safe. I know what you're going to do is dangerous, but you need her." She gave Nike a knowing but kind look. Nike knew she wasn't just talking about the plan Neil had come up with.

"They'll assassinate her!"

"So teach her to fight back. If she can summon a cutting wind, she can learn to slice through more than fabric. Besides, you would have raised her in Ginitarix if things had turned out differently."

"Ugh... Whatever happened to keeping our powers isolated from the rest of the world?"

"You left," Tohara said dryly. "What's the point in keeping up that policy if our best practitioner is off being an empress? Quit worrying so much, it doesn't suit you. Go and take your kingdom back with your own hands, and do it even if you have to keep that child on a leash."

"A leash wouldn't keep _that_ under control." Nike pointed behind her, where Thena was now slamming her fists on the ground.

"Then when you get your husband back, ask him to figure out something that can with that genius mind of his. In any case, before you leave, you should try to teach her a bit of restraint. You don't want her to flood the Sun Kingdom when she gets into one of her _moods_."

* * *

"Mommy! Green!"

"Yes, isn't it pretty?" Cecil nodded feverishly as he watched the scenery through the carriage window.

Talea glanced up at Livi sitting across from her. He was resting his head on his palm and staring blankly out the other window. Ever since Princess Nike had died, Livi had been distant and gloomy. Their circumstances had never allowed for happiness, exactly, but there had been times when he had laughed or been in a better mood than usual. Once the princess was gone, however, his smiles never reached his eyes and she was sure his cheerful attitude when Cecil wanted his attention was a facade.

 _I don't blame him. If it wasn't for Cecil, I'd be the same._

She had never been as close to Nike as Livi had, of course, but her absence still left a visceral pain in Talea's heart. She had had no expectations for her one-sided love, but knowing that she would never again see the princess' bright smile or hear her voice singing in the royal garden made her want to forget about the willpower that had driven her to survive her father's abuse all those years. It was only when she held Cecil for the first time and saw his warm brown eyes look questioningly at her that she felt there was a purpose to remaining alive after all. She had failed to protect the woman she loved and her first child, but Cecil still needed her to protect him. She had something to do, something to atone for.

Her father was under the mistaken impression that she and the king had fallen in love through their child, but Talea was no fool. Livi was a confidant, a friend made through their shared suffering. She had never seen him as more than that, and she knew better than anyone that Livi didn't love her and never had. Not even before the queen's death had he ever touched her with anything other than polite consideration. His caresses were cold and to the point; enough not to hurt her, but never more. After Cecil had been born, there was no need to continue with appearances and neither of them missed the nights they'd been forced to spend together. They shared a room, but only for Cecil's sake, and nothing more. He was, and always would be, Princess Nike's lover, and Talea would have resented him if he wasn't. She didn't want or expect anything else from him.

"Mommy, want juish," Cecil said, tugging at her blouse.

"Oh, hold on." She reached for the satchel she'd brought with her and looked for the canteen she'd filled for Cecil the day before. "Here, slowly okay?" She held the container for him as he drank so he wouldn't drop it. When he was done she wiped his mouth and the little boy returned to staring out the window quietly.

 _And just like that, we're almost to Ginitarix_ , she thought as she caught sight of the outer wall in the distance. Her feelings about returning to the city were mixed. She had loved her time in the city, but that was without her father and when the princess was alive. Now all that waited was more of what she'd had to endure over the last three years with the added danger of someone hurting her child. She stared wistfully at the open plain instead, and for the first time in many years she thought about what it might be like to walk out into the grass and never look back.

 _I want to leave_. _Away from my father, away from my family's cursed pride, away from the throne. I just want to take Cecil and run away so they'll never find us. I want to live without worries, without wondering when the next beating is coming. I want to be free, like she was. I want to be free like Princess Nike was, when the world was still beautiful._

* * *

"What's wrong with Thena?" Kara asked her sister. Her niece had been huddled in a corner of the deck all day, looking miserable. Nike groaned in annoyance.

"She's throwing a fit because she didn't want to leave the duchy," she explained. " I had to haul her on board and she started screaming her head off. I ended up giving her a smack over the head when she tried to use the wind to cut me," she said grimly.

"What?! _You?_ Hitting _Thena_?! Who are you and what did you do with my sister?!"

"Very funny," Nike said, a small grin playing at the corner of her mouth. "I didn't hit her, I just gave her a bit of a, you know, rebuke."

"About time, really," Kara said, leaning on the rail. "I bet she never thought her oh-so-gullible mama would resort to physical punishment."

"It was a last resort, okay? The ship was about to sail and she was literally digging her feet into the cobblestones."

"Can you blame her, though? I mean, I know she's really smart and we explained it to her that we're going back to her real home, but she's still a child," Kara said, staring out over the horizon. "The Duchy is the only home she knows."

"I know. Honestly, I feel guilty for bringing her. What we're trying to do is dangerous. It's no place for a child. I would have left her with Mother and Father, but..."

"Yeah, Grandmother won't have it."

"I get it, I do," Nike said, smoothing her skirt absentmindedly as the wind picked up. "I know Athene is the best bargaining chip we have, even if I hate the thought of using my own daughter like this. It doesn't matter if I show up in front of the castle gates, apparently risen from the dead, and start demanding to be let in as Livi's lawful wife. The stupid priests are just going to use my disappearance as an excuse to say that I ran away and don't deserve my place. They'll claim our marriage never had time to be consummated or that I'm an imposter or something else that's just as ridiculous."

"Well, they're still going to raise all hell, but at least with the little demon in tow you have something much harder for them to refute. Good thing she's the spitting image of brother-in-law."

"Hopefully it goes that smoothly. Otherwise..." Kara saw her sister put a hand on the hilt of her rapier. Nike's eyes glinted with a ferocity she hadn't seen in a long time.

 _I pity whoever is behind this mess. They've gone too far. They went and awoke the lioness._

"Otherwise we go to war, huh..."

"Otherwise we go to war. Whatever it takes to get Livi back."

* * *

"Thena, come here."

Athene ignored her mother's call. She was still angry at her.

 _I don't wanna go to this sun place, I wanna stay with everyone back home!_

"Thena, I have something for you."

"Don't want it," she sulked. "It's probably stupid, like this boat."

Nike crouched down at Thena's level and flicked her between the eyes.

"OW!"

"That's for saying 'stupid,'" her mother said. Thena glared at her. She wasn't used to her mother scolding her like this.

"Go away," Athene said, burying her head in her knees. Nike was quiet for a moment.

"Fine, I'll just go find some other girl to give this present to."

Athene's inner jealousy pricked its ears.

"I wonder if there's another cute little girl on the ship who might want this? Maybe I'll trade her in for this little demon?"

"No! You're _my_ mama!" Thena shouted, grabbing her mother around the waist. "My mama! MINE!"

"Oh really? Because I'm pretty sure you just told me to go away. I don't know if I can be a mama to such a mean child."

"NO! Mama is mama!" Thena started to wail. It was much harder to know what her mother was thinking now that her powers were sealed.

Nike patted her head gently. "Okay, okay, settle down. Of course I'm your mama, silly thing." She waited until Athene's sniffles settled down a bit.

 _Mean, mama is mean!_

She thought she heard the sound of her father laughing somewhere in her subconscious, but he didn't speak.

"Done with the crocodile tears?" Nike said, grinning at her.

"Mmm... what's a crocodile?" she asked as she wiped her face with her sleeve.

"An animal that pretends to cry when it wants to eat you," Nike said.

"That sounds mean."

"It is. Now, ready for your present?"

"It's not a crocodile, is it?" Athene asked apprehensively. Nike burst into laughter. It echoed on the wind like bells. It was rare, but sometimes when her mother sang or laughed really hard, Thena was captivated into silence; something about her voice would change and become _alive_ somehow. It was strange and Thena couldn't explain it, but it made her heart ache.

"A crocodile is huge, Thena!" Nike chuckled, extending her arms out to imply its size. "So no, it's not a crocodile," she said, still laughing.

"Then what is it?"

"I've got it right here," her mother said smiling, and pulled something white from her skirt pocket. She handed it to Thena.

It was a small circle, and as she looked it over in her hands, she realized it wasn't white. It was smooth and almost yellowish. There were little drawings carved all around the outside.

"What is it?"

"It's a bracelet. An ivory bracelet," Nike said, taking the bracelet and slipping it onto Thena's little wrist. The little girl stared at it for a second.

"What's 'ivory'?"

"This stuff," Nike said, pointing out the material. "It's very special."

"How come?" she asked as she turned the bracelet over. The carvings were cute. There were little birds and animals all one after another.

"Hmm, well, how about I tell you?" She sat down against the wall and patted her lap to show that Thena should climb on. She did so and snuggled into her mother's arms like she always did when she was going to tell a story.

"Tell," Thena demanded.

"Magic words, Thena."

"Please," she said, purposefully doing so in the common tongue out of spite. Nike tugged her black braid softly.

"Brat," her mother said, but she continued with her story. "Once, long ago, there were huge animals in our lands. They had beautiful, white tusks..."

Thena fell spellbound as her mother wove her tale.

* * *

"Did he fall asleep?"

"Mm, about an hour ago," Talea said, carrying Cecil over her shoulder as they descended from the carriage at last. It was late, and thankfully they had been able to enter the city without too much fuss. Only a small retinue of servants had been called to greet them, including Bardwin, Livi's uncle.

"Welcome back, Livi," the tall blonde man said as he bowed. Talea wasn't all that well acquainted with the prime minister, but she knew he was popular among the ladies at court and that he was a notorious womanizer.

"It's been a long time, Bard," Livi said, rather stiffly. It was common knowledge that they didn't get along very well.

"Indeed... is this Lady Dainer, then?" Bard said, looking at Talea. His stare made her feel uncomfortable.

"Evening," she said, bowing as low as she could while holding Cecil.

"Yes, did you prepare rooms for her to use?"

"Of course, just as you ordered, Your Majesty. Lord Dainer and his household have already arrived and been accomodated." She saw Livi set his jaw.

"I see."

"This way, Your Majesty. It's cold out tonight."

Talea followed after them, wondering if the castle could ever feel like home again without Princess Nike.

* * *

Thena lay in her cot next to her mother. She was supposed to be asleep, but she couldn't stop thinking about the story Nike had told her. She stared at the bracelet on her arm, her stomach feeling slightly unsettled.

 _It's like a bone... People hurt an animal for this..._

Thena had once seen her aunt kill and prepare a chicken with her own hands. It had been the scariest thing she'd ever witnessed, and she'd run to her mother crying. When the food was served at dinner, her mother explained that since the chicken died for the sake of providing them that meal, it would be wrong not to eat it.

 _It's kind of like this,_ she thought, fighting the impulse to pull the bracelet off. It was so pretty... She could tell why people had wanted it so much, but...

 _"Everything has a price,"_ her mother had said at the end of the grim story.

 _Was it really worth all the people and animals who died just to have these pretty things?_

 _"What do you think?"_

 _Daddy..._

 _"That's an interesting story your mama told you. So, do you think it was worth it?"_

 _I dunno..._

 _"You want to say no, right?"_

 _You can read minds, daddy?_

 _"Nope, just yours, princess."_

 _Oh._

 _"You think it's sad that someone died for that bracelet."_

 _Yeah... Isn't it bad, what those people did?_

 _"Mm. It was cruel."_

 _What's cruel?_

 _"Mean."_

 _Oh. So then why did mama give it to me?_

 _"Well, didn't she say that it's important to remember the price?"_

 _I think... so we have to remember that we have these pretty things because people died?_

 _"Dunno, it's your mother's story, not mine. I think she wants you to figure it out yourself."_ The voice in Thena's head paused. _"Though maybe..."_

Thena sensed something between their linked consciousnesses.

 _Daddy..._

 _"Hmm?"_

 _Are you crying?_

 _"Heh, no way, your daddy doesn't cry."_

 _Liar._

 _"Sh-shush, I dunno what you're talking about."_

 _You're a bad liar, daddy._

 _"..."_

 _Are you gonna tell me what you were gonna say?_

 _"Nope. Maybe when you're older. Go to bed, you little devil."_

* * *

 _"Nike..."_

 _Livi? What is it?_

 _"That story you told Thena..."_

 _How do you know about that?_

 _"She's still thinking about it."_

 _Ah. Well, what about it?_

 _"..."_

 _Hmm?_

 _"You think I'm worth the price, don't you...?"_

 _Livi..._

 _"That's why you're coming back, that's why you told her that story."_

 _Livi, listen..._

 _"Don't! Why would you come back now?! It's dangerous! And bringing Thena...! Did you forget why you left in the first place?!"_

 _Livi!_

 _"I already thought it was strange that you were planning to come back... but for this kind of stupid reason?! Don't fuck with me, Nike!"_

 _SHUT UP._

 _"Wh-WHAT?!"_

 _I said SHUT UP. I am_ tired _, Livius. I'm tired of running, I'm tired of feeling uncertain, I'm tired of wondering if you're okay every waking moment. I'm tired of falling asleep every night and finding out everything over again just to forget it when I open my eyes! I am your wife, your partner, and I'm done hiding. I'm coming to save you, even if I have to blow a hole through the castle walls._

 _"I don't need to be saved, what the hell are you talking about? You and Thena and Cecil and Talea are the ones-"_

 _You are full of it, Sun King. You're always_ always _like this. Didn't you say, after you came back from the woods with Cassandra all those years ago, that you felt you could start to accept yourself?_

 _"I-"_

 _Shut it. You're back to the way you used to be; you think this whole mess is your fault, that you have to protect us all alone. You're pushing us away because you think we'll be safer away from you. You're an IDIOT!_

 _"Wh-"_

 _I don't want to be protected at your expense, and I never did! The only reason I've been running is for Thena's sake, but you need me more right now._

 _"I don-"_

 _Listen to me, Livi, you are worth the price. To me, you have always, always, been worth the price. The price of your tormented childhood, the price of all the suffering we've had to endure so far; if it's for you, I will gladly pay it. I know you think you aren't worth it. I know you think you have to single-handedly protect us: Thena and I, and Cecil and his mother. But I've told you, I'm going to protect_ you. _I'm coming to get you and when I do, I'm going to murder that damn inferiority complex of yours._

 _"But... why...?"_

 _Are you stupid? You forgot after all these years? I love you, Livi. Really and truly, I love the you who feels broken and hurt, I love the you who is proud and difficult to deal with, I love the you that loves me. So, I'm coming for you. I'm going to walk right in, get that bloody earl out of my castle, and take back my country and my husband. Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to give you a good beating, but afterward, I promise, I'll never leave you alone again._

 _"...Ha...hahaha! Oh, it's been so long since you've said something like this... Sorry, I just..."_

 _Cry all you want, moron._

 _"You really are the best, Nike. The coolest woman there is."_

 _Hmph, that last report Neil got on you knocked some sense into me. There's no point in being depressed when I can just go and take back what belongs to me. Isn't that what a certain tyrant would say?_

 _"Yeah... You're right...Heh. Alright, I'm all yours, Nike. Come get me."_

 _We'll be there soon. Hang in there. The winds are changing, Livi._


	17. Resentment

Lord Dainer, Earl of Ferana, reclined in his chair, enjoying the last of the sunlight from his window with a tall glass of wine in hand. He cast his eyes onto the grounds outside and toward the royal gardens; they had grown much lovelier since the last time he had seen them. He spotted a group of court ladies walking through the hedges and vaguely wondered if his wife was among them. Ivette loved socializing and had wandered off to gossip as soon as they were settled in their rooms.

Dainer didn't particularly mind or care what she was up to. His wife was Lord Syrene's eldest daughter by birth, but she had proven herself a Dainer through and through over the years. He could trust her to keep her mouth shut about anything sensitive that might reach the wrong ears and she was an excellent spy in her own right. Still, her absence was rather welcome just now. This was his moment; this was what he had been working so long to achieve, and he wanted to savor it alone for a while.

He poured himself more wine; it was the king's own vintage, and he was pleased to find that it lived up to it's reputation for high quality. He sighed contentedly as he swirled the glass.

Years. Not just the last three, where things finally began to fall into place, but decades before that. Long before Livius I had been chosen to inherit the throne, long before Talea was even born. A complex web of possibilities, of back-up plans and alternatives, had been painstakingly woven since far longer than Dainer cared to count, and now at the age of 46, it had finally begun to pay off.

 _Heh, I hope you're rolling in your grave, Leonidas._

It had been a bit slow in coming, that much was true. Slow enough that the person who was meant to suffer the fall had already passed away, though through no fault of Dainer's. The idiot had fallen ill of grief when that dirty woman of his had been assassinated. He passed away soon afterward, though not before ensuring that Livius I ascended the throne in place of his legitimate siblings.

 _Even in death he couldn't let that bloody woman go. I should have killed him myself._

* * *

 **The boy took a hesitant step around the hedge and felt his anxiety rise when he found himself at yet another dead end. He was new at court and he had never been to the palace before, so everything was unfamiliar and intimidating. It only took him a few minutes of exploring the gardens to become hopelessly lost.**

 **He tried to backtrack his steps and went down a different path. The tall garden walls and hedges made it impossible for him, a short boy of twelve, to tell where he was heading.**

 _ **How many paths can there possibly be?**_ **he thought, trying to ease his nervousness as he walked.** ** _Surely, just one more turn here and-_**

 **He found himself in another clearing full of colorful rosebushes. He groaned and turned to head back the way he came.**

 **"I've never seen you at court before."**

 **Taken by surprise, he whirled around to find a young woman sitting on the ground, a few feet away. She was seated on what looked like a picnic blanket at the foot of a rosebush. Her hair was brown beneath a wide brimmed hat and her skin was tanned; there were several freckles on her nose and cheeks, probably from sun exposure. She was holding a sketchbook and a piece of charcoal, and she was so absorbed in her work that she hardly bothered to look up at him.**

 **"Wh-"**

 **"Sorry, did I startle you?" She examined a pink rose carefully as she spoke. "I just thought you might be lost."**

 **The boy felt his cheeks burn slightly in embarrassment.** ** _Was it that obvious?_**

 **"I-I'm new at court," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.**

 **"Oh, really? Which house?" she asked calmly as she continued to draw with short, brusque strokes.**

 **"Ferana."**

 **"Ah, that's the Dainer family, correct? I've heard Ferana is a lovely place, though I've never been. What's your name?"**

 **"Evan."**

 **She paused to check over her drawing and, satisfied, wiped the sweat from her cheek with the back of her hand. It left a black streak of charcoal but she didn't notice. She looked up and gave him a friendly smile.**

 **"Pleased to meet you, Evan. I'm Antonia. Antonia Pirenz of House Valoria. Welcome to Ginitarix."**

* * *

Bard finished his paperwork that evening with an anxious sigh. Seeing Livi in good health had been a relief of sorts, but nobody knew better than Bard that the king's reappearance at court was bad news.

 _I hope everything sorts itself quietly,_ the prime minister thought as he rubbed his eyes tiredly. He slumped back into his chair, flicking his quill onto the desk without looking to see where it had landed. He stared at the door to his office, thinking about the woman Livi had brought with him. He vaguely recognized her as Talea even after all these years, though the last time he had seen her was when she was fifteen and laughing with her friends as a courtier. He prided himself on never forgetting a woman after meeting her once, but the Talea who had stepped out of the coach that evening was a very different creature from the girl he remembered. She was still slight and fragile-looking, but her wide brown eyes were clouded with a mix of emotion that he couldn't recall having seen on her face before. She looked somewhat weather-beaten despite being dressed well, but while before he would have called her docile, this was not a woman he wanted to cross.

 _That girl is building up resentment behind that complacent smile._ Bard didn't have to guess what had brought about the change either. He had been warned ahead of time, but seeing his nephew's son asleep on Talea's shoulder still came as a shock. The boy didn't look all that much like Livi, but to someone like Bard who was fairly adept at distinguishing people's faces, little Cecil Dainer was undoubtedly the king's son. _Same face, same eye shape, same hair. The rest is all his mother, but if that child isn't Livi's, I'll eat my best hat._

Bard tapped his fingers restlessly on his armrest.

 _She doesn't seem like a bad person. Livi obviously trusts her; there wasn't any bad feeling between them during dinner and they were pretty amicable the whole time. If I didn't know better, I'd think he chose her out himself._

Unfortunately, Bard did know better. He was one of the few at court who did.

* * *

 **Antonia was a painter. She was sent to court the same as most young men and women of the nobility, but at thirteen she was completely oblivious to anything that wasn't art. Every afternoon, Evan spent several hours watching her set up her easel and paints in different spots on the palace grounds and marveled at how quickly a few strokes on canvas could turn into a lovely painting. She drew anything and everything she could get her hands on: people, animals, landscapes, portraits, whatever happened to catch her eye that day. She talked while she worked, and she didn't mind Evan following her around so the two became fast friends.**

 **"Antonia, are you going to be a professional painter someday?" he asked as he lay in the grass one evening as she painted the sunset.**

 **"Professional? You're kidding, right?" she said, pointing her brush at him and accidentally flicking red paint at him. He didn't mind.**

 **"Well, why not? You're so talented!"**

 **"I'm also a girl," she said matter-of-factly.**

 **"So?"**

 **"So, women don't become professional painters. Especially not aristocratic women."**

 **"Says who?"**

 **"Says everyone. There's never been a female court painter, for example, and there won't be. It's scandalous."**

 **"But you love painting..."**

 **"Doesn't matter. It's okay for a noblewoman to paint as a hobby or as part of her skill set, but as a profession she'd have to paint whatever she was paid to paint. It's not something a respectable woman would do," she said as she added a bit of water to her blue pigment.**

 **"That so..."**

 **"That's what I've been told, and I'm not interested in disgracing my family, so I just focus on painting now while I can."**

 **"You plan to stop?" he asked, surprised. He couldn't imagine Antonia without her expensive dresses speckled in paint and charcoal.**

 **"Well, I won't be able to do it as often as I like when I'm married."**

 **"Ah, that, huh... Your parents have someone in mind yet?"**

 **"They say they do, but they won't tell me until I'm fifteen. To be honest, if they're not at the princes' level, I couldn't care less," she said haughtily. Evan had seen her sketchbooks and they were full of drawings of Crown Prince Leonidas and his older half-brother Prince Bardwin.** **There were even a few of the eldest prince, though he had left court to go into the priesthood.**

 **"Haha, you really like the princes, don't you, Antonia?"**

 **"No you idiot, it's just that they're so handsome! They're perfect subjects for painting," she said, tapping her cheek as she stared over her canvas. "As an artist, I don't want to marry anyone who isn't at least that attractive! How am I supposed to get by on the few drawings I'll be allowed to do if I can't even get inspired by my surroundings?"**

 **"Well, maybe you'll like your husband's personality so you'll want to paint him anyway...?" Evan suggested. She thought about it for a second.**

 **"No, I'll take a handsome one after all."**

 **"If your parents decide on one for you," he teased, staring up at the darkening sky.**

 **"If my parents decide on one for me," she agreed, frowning as she began to paint in the final touches. "Well, he might be horrible to look at, but at least he'll be of high birth, whoever he is. My parents would never choose a minor noble for a daughter of the Duke of Valoria."**

* * *

Pulling on his cloak, Bard left the castle and headed down to the guardhouse. It was late at night and unseasonably chilly so Bard walked quickly to stay warm.

The guardhouse wasn't a house so much as a hub. Built directly into the castle walls, it served as the office for all the high-ranking palace guards and provided access to the inside of the wall, where a rather large network of corridors and staircases allowed soldiers to disperse and emerge at different points of the turrets. Violetta, as Captain of the Royal Guard, had a prominent set of rooms in the guardhouse.

None of the guards on duty bothered to stop him or ask him what he was doing there so late at night; everyone knew that he and Violetta were lovers, and late night visits from the palace before the Prime Minister headed home were not uncommon.

He knocked on the door to Violetta's office

"Come in," her voice said. He turned the knob and stepped inside.

She was feverishly scribbling a letter, so he sat quietly on her chaise while he waited for her to finish. She signed her name with a furious scrawl and looked up.

She looked exhausted. Her hair was always a mess nowadays, and the uniform she had worn proudly for so many years was dirty and ragged. There were terrible black circles under her eyes and she looked to be near her breaking point. She glared at Bard.

"I told you already, I'm _not_ sleeping with you."

"I know."

"Then get out, I've already got too much on my plate to deal you."

"As cruel as ever," he said half-teasingly. Her bloodshot stare made him drop the flirtatious tone. "I'm not here for sex today."

"I have no idea what you're here for then; that's all you're good for."

"How's your sister?"

He hit a nerve, he knew it. Her shoulders shook with fury.

 _"That's none of your business, you bastard!"_

"Look, Violetta... I know you still blame me, but I care about Lilian's safety as well-"

 _"You wouldn't have to, if you had just done as I asked!"_ She slammed her hand down on her desk, hard. Bard flinched.

 _Oh no, off to a bad start..._

"I know, I'm sorry-"

"SORRY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH!" she shouted furiously. "All you had to do was look after the inn for a couple of hours while I was working! That's all! Instead you went off gallivanting with some court woman and _now look where we are!"_

"There was no way I could have known what was going to happen!" He yelled defensively. "How could I have guessed that someone was targeting Lilian?! You had no idea either!"

"Of course I didn't! She's a commoner, as far as I knew there was no reason for anyone to kidnap her! But grandfather was ill that day! I specifically asked you to help her out and you left her on her _own! IT'S YOUR FAULT SHE'S STILL BEING HELD RANSOM!"_

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT!? YOU THINK I DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED!? THAT I WANTED HER TO BE TAKEN HOSTAGE!? THAT I WANTED TO HELP DAINER WITH HIS PLANS, THAT I WANTED TO LET HIM ASSASSINATE NIKE!?" he roared, jabbing a finger at his own chest. "You really think I wanted to be the one to tell Livi that his wife was dead!? You think it didn't break my heart to see the queen's body, completely unrecognizable after what they did to it!? You think it wasn't awful, going to the White Gold Tower and finding all those poor servants in a heap of blood!?"

 _"YOU HAVE NO ONE TO BLAME BUT YOURSELF! IF LILIAN HADN'T BEEN TAKEN-"_

 _"WELL, WHAT THE BLOODY HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO ABOUT IT NOW?! TELL ME, VIOLETTA, WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO!?"_

They glared at each other, breathing heavily. Bard clenched his fists tightly.

"I want you to leave," she said quietly, venom dripping from every word. "Before I end up doing something I can't take back."

Bard gave her one last look before he opened the door and left.

* * *

 **"EVAN!"**

 **He put down his bow as Antonia came running down the path. She was holding a letter tightly in her fist and she looked breathless and excited. Growing a few inches had done her good; she was fifteen now, and her awkward, gangling limbs had filled in quite nicely. Her freckles had faded and she took more care with her appearance now than she had as a child. Evan still hadn't hit his growth spurt, so he was slightly shorter than her, but lately he'd been wishing he would hurry up and catch up with her.**

 **"What is it?"**

 **"Look, look! Mother just sent this!" she shoved the letter into his hands as he stepped off the shooting green. Giving her the bow to hold, he unfolded the parchment and read. Antonia looked apprehensively at him as he did. "Well?" she prompted when he said nothing.**

 **"W-wow, congratulations, Antonia," he said, forcing a smile. His heart felt tight.**

 **"Can you believe it?! They've betrothed me to** ** _Leonidas!_** **The Crown Prince!" she squealed and jumped up and down on the balls of her feet.**

 **"It's... great." He suddenly thought of something. "But wait, Antonia, aren't you supposed to be a princess to marry the Crown Prince?"**

 **She gave a laugh. "Well, yes, but what, did you think my family is one of the most respected duchies in the Sun Kingdom for no reason? We're royalty, Evan, royalty! Several generations back, one of the king's daughters married into the Pirenz line. The current king knows this, of course, and mother says he specifically chose me so that the royal bloodline stays pure and doesn't get contaminated by a foreign princess."**

 **"O-oh, was that how it was?"**

 **"Yes! Oh thank goodness, I'll be having that handsome husband after all! Imagine being able to paint him up close; oh the watercolors and gouache and oils..."**

 **Evan couldn't hear the rest of her excited babbling over the sound of his young heart breaking.**

* * *

 _Why can't she just work with me?! It's been three years and she still starts screaming at me every time we meet! We could have figured something out to get Lilian back by now!_

He threw a vase across his room angrily. It shattered loudly against the wall.

 _I know it's my job to prioritize the lives of the royal family, but how could I let Lilian die for them?! She's an innocent, Violetta's sister! What else was I supposed to do?!_

He flung another vase after its brother, where it joined the rest of the broken mess on the carpet. He sunk into his chair and buried his face into his hands.

 _She's right though... it is my fault... I should have been there to look after her._

A sharp knock came at his door.

"Bardwin, it's the middle of the night! Stop the bloody noise!" came the angry shout. He groaned. His sister was a sour woman who couldn't stand him.

"Sorry, sister," he called back tiredly. "I won't do it again, so go back to sleep."

"Hmph." He could hear her angry footsteps receding down the hall.

* * *

 **Antonia Pirenz** **of Valoria married Prince Leonidas Ifriquiya in the summer of her fifteenth year. They were named Crown Prince and Princess while Leonidas' father still lived.**

 **Because Evan was a close friend of Antonia's, he suddenly found himself often in the prince's company. Before the wedding, Evan had had little chance to cross paths with His Highness the Crown Prince. Now, however, he could hardly look at Antonia without getting a suspicious glare from her husband. Leonidas had never paid any attention to Antonia before he married her, and Evan was sure that his possessiveness had nothing to do with his actual feelings toward her. At first glance, Leonidas was a talented, intelligent, and for the most part well-behaved young man. But he was also flighty and selfish; he got angry at small offenses and held grudges easily, and his jealousy burned as soon as anyone came near whatever he considered his possessions. His handsome face and charming personality won people over quickly, but he just as easily made enemies, lifelong ones.**

 **Antonia didn't particularly care. She had always been a proud woman, and she was proud of her family's connections and the fact that she was able to marry into the royal house. As far as her husband was concerned, she didn't expect him to love her as long as he respected her (and allowed her to paint him, which he apparently didn't mind) and at best their relationship was a partnership of sorts instead of a romantic one.**

 **"Isn't it... suffocating?" Evan asked her once when the prince was away on business. "Having to live with him and put up with his moods all the time when you don't even love him?" Antonia shrugged and smudged her drawing with her fingertips.**

 **"Not at all. No noblewoman or princess ever marries for love, Evan. Love comes after marriage, it's something you develop; Leonidas and I get along fine, so I'm sure love will follow, eventually."**

 **But Leonidas had other plans.**

* * *

"Milord, your correspondence."

"Thank you, Notten," Bard said as his aide handed him his letters. He was so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open, but he tried his best to remain alert. He drank from his cup of coffee and sorted through the mail.

 _Three letters from provincial governors, one from abroad, and... what's this?_

He picked up a rather bland looking envelope from the batch. It had no seal, just plain wax, and it was addressed simply _To the Prime Minister of the Sun Kingdom_. No sender.

"What the... Notten, who sent this?"

The young aide leaned over to see what Bard was talking about.

"I have no idea, Bard-sama," he frowned. "I just got the letters directly from Freya as usual."

"Hmm." Bard picked up his letter opener and slit it open.

* * *

 **The king passed away a year after his son's marriage. Leonidas III inherited the throne and his wife, now the queen, soon became pregnant with their first child. Instead of staying at her side, the king became embroiled in a conflict with the northern countries and went off to quell a rebellion among the barbarian tribes on the borders.**

 **"Tch, I don't know how you can stand it, having him go off on his own like that when you're suffering on your own," Evan growled as he kicked at the water with his bare feet. They were sitting together at the edge of one of the fountain gardens, and for once, Antonia wasn't drawing.**

 **"He's at war," she chided. "He can't help it; it's just the way it is when you're king." She hummed to herself and Evan felt a sharp pang of jealousy as he watched her delicate artists' hands throw crumbs for the fish in the pond to eat.**

 **"You always have an excuse for him..."**

 **"Well, they're valid ones, no?"**

 **"I guess..."**

 **"You worry too much about me, Evan. Shouldn't you be off focusing on your own prospective brides? I hear the Syrene girl has been talking about you quite a lot..."**

 **"Hmph, she's just nosy," he muttered.**

 **"Ha! Well, a nosy wife can be a clever wife, you know. Isn't that one of your family's values? 'Cleverness Over Chivalry' or something like that?" she teased.**

 **"I don't want to marry a girl just because she's** ** _clever_** **."**

 **"What, you want to marry for love? Don't be silly; you know that doesn't exist for us nobles. Marriage is a way to reap benefits for your family. Love comes later, if you're lucky." She gave her swollen belly a gentle pat and her expression softened. Evan looked away angrily.**

* * *

"Nike!"

"Falaha! It's been so long!"

The two women, one light skinned and the other dark, embraced tightly, laughing.

"Wow, look at you, Nike! You look ready for battle!" Falaha said, pulling back far enough to admire Nike's clothes. It wasn't a uniform, exactly, but her dark trousers and her shirt gave her a sharp, masculine edge that was only accented by the sword she never took off. She wore no medals or standards but her long hair was tied back into a simple, thick braid and her cloak gave her a dashing, princely air.

"Me? What are you talking about? Look at _you!_ Prince Irada couldn't have sent us a better military commander if he tried!" Falaha grinned and proudly lifted her breast so that her medals glinted in the bright sun. Her uniform was as sensible and frugal as Nike's, but she wore the Sand Prince's standard on her cloak.

"Falaha, what a pleasure to see you!" Neil called as he walked up the hill to join them. Behind him, at the foot of the hill, hundreds of tents marked the location of the army's encampment. Soldiers were stationed all around the camp, the Sand troops mixing in with the small forces from the Rain Duchy and the few Sun Kingdom militia they'd managed to recruit in the last month.

"Same to you, Nick."

"Uh, Neil."

"Whatever."

"How far are the Ocean troops?" Nike asked as the chamberlain handed her some tied scrolls.

"About a three days' march, I think. The last message came back fairly quickly."

"Good, not long now."

"We're ready to set out whenever you are, Nike," Falaha said, thumping her chest confidently. "My troops aren't tired in the least. We've been preparing for this for ages, ever since you sent that first letter asking for aid a year ago."

"I didn't think we'd need to march so soon, though," Nike said, looking off across the plains from the crest of the hill. If she squinted her eyes, she thought she could see a distant, dark slice of shadow on the horizon. _The Outer Walls of Ginitarix._

Neil patted her shoulder kindly. "We've had to rush a bit with our preparations, but we'll be fine. We have you, your sister, your cousin, and the princess as delegates and it certainly helps that at least three of you can use Amefurashi. Hopefully it doesn't have to come to bloodshed at all."

"And if it does, we'll gladly lend our swords," Falaha said loudly. "My men haven't been sitting on the desert border for two months for nothing!"

Nike felt a sudden tug on the leg of her trousers.

"Mama, I'm hungry." Nike looked behind her to find Thena pouting in the way she usually did when she was about to throw a fit.

 _Uh oh._ For the most part, Thena was constantly supervised by Kara or Nike to prevent her from going berserk with her powers, but Kara was currently running reconnaissance with a small group of soldiers in the town nearest the encampment. Her powers as a hypnotist were indispensable for gathering information. In the meantime, her cousin Kitra was supposed to be looking after Thena (with a set of black lotus stones in hand, just in case), but she had clearly managed to escape him.

"Thena, I'm sorry, but Mama's busy right now," Nike said, as gently as she could. "Can you go back to camp and ask Lanra and Kitra to find you something to eat? Auntie Kara is running an errand."

"But I'm _hungry!_ And Uncle Kitra is bad at making food! I want Mama's cooking!" she whined.

"Oh, is this-?" Falaha craned her head to look behind Nike. "This is her?" she asked, pointing at Thena.

"Oh, yes, this is Athene, my daughter. Say hello, Thena," Nike said, gently pushing the petulant child forward.

"'lo," she said grumpily. Falaha crouched down to look at her.

"Ehhh, she looks just like the Sun King, doesn't she?" She reached out to pat the girl's hair.

Thena, spoiled little princess that she was, didn't appreciate being touched by a stranger. She spoke a few foreign words and a sharp wind cut through some of Falaha's brown hair.

"Wh-what the-" Falaha shakily felt for the damage; a good portion of her bangs on the left side had been sliced off. "Wh-WHAAAAT?!" Nike and Neil had to grab Falaha's arms to stop her from jumping on Thena. "LET GO, I'LL TEACH THIS BRAT-!"

Thena stuck out her tongue and ran off.

"THENA, YOU'RE IN BIG TROUBLE!" Nike called angrily as she fought to contain Falaha. It was rather like wrestling a tiger.

"Of all the people she could have pissed off, it had to be Falaha...!" Neil said through gritted teeth as he dug his heels into the floor.

"GODDAMMIT LET ME GO, THAT KID NEEDS A SPANKING!"

 _I know, she's a monster_ , Nike thought tiredly. Though Thena's mood had improved drastically after disembarking the ship, the last month setting up camp and dealing with the diplomatic issues of the alliance had quickly bored her. She was becoming restless and impossible to control. Again.

 _Some things never change._

* * *

 **Leonidas returned just before Antonia was due, but he brought someone else back with him. It was a tribal girl, the daughter of some barbarian chieftain that they had subdued in the war. She was a beauty, with lovely blonde hair and fair skin, but her eyes were sharp and intelligent and every movement she made seemed to exhume a wild, soft grace. The king was enchanted by her and immediately had her proclaimed his concubine against the wishes of the Sun Priests. He locked her away deep in the palace woods, inside a tower, so that no one could see her or harm her.**

 **Her name was Sheila, and when she came to the palace, Antonia began to change.**

 **It wasn't immediate. When she first heard about her husband's concubine, she didn't seem as hurt as Evan feared she would be.**

 **"It's not that strange," she reasoned as she rested in her room one afternoon. Evan sat at her bedside with one of her maids to keep her company. "Don't men always look somewhere else for sex when their wives are pregnant?"**

 **"Well, yeah, I guess that's true," Evan mumbled, feeling a bit embarrassed at the question. His father had done something similar when his younger brother was born, he remembered. "But most men don't marry those lovers."**

 **"He's the king, Lord Evan," the maid said. "One or two concubines isn't unheard of. We've had kings with dozens in the past, sir."**

 **"Still..."**

 **"It'll be fine, Evan," Antonia said brightly. "When our child is born, I'm sure he'll come back."**

 **He didn't.**

* * *

"Livi!"

Bard threw the office door open with a bang, catching the king off guard. Yoru, who had grown a great deal bigger over the years, hooted angrily from his perch next to Livi's desk and Livi himself knocked a bottle of ink over his documents.

"Aw, dammit!" he muttered, standing up to avoid being covered in ink as it ran down the sides of the desk. "What the hell, Bard? Haven't you heard of knocking?"

"Sorry, Livi, but it's an emergency!"

"What's going on?!"

"There's an army amassing to the southeast," Bard said hurriedly. "Here, read this. It's from one of our spies near the Sand Kingdom." He tossed a letter to the king, who caught it and scanned it quickly.

"What...?! How can... Who are they?" Livi demanded as he looked up at his uncle.

"We don't know! They aren't flying any banners yet, and they look to be from all over the place! The spy said he's seen people from the east, the Sand Kingdom, even some people who look like they're from the Sun Kingdom! It's not a terribly huge army, but there's a rumor that reinforcements are on their way from the northeast...!"

"But... northeast is the Ocean Kingdom! We have a peace treaty!"

"We don't know if they're Ocean troops; all we know is that they're heading from that direction. If they join up, the army will number up into the thousands!"

"Shit!" Livi immediately pulled a document from a drawer and found a clean corner of the desk to write on. "Get Violetta up here, now. And tell Dainer that his bloody plans will have to wait until after we take care of this."

* * *

 **The king only had eyes for Sheila. Antonia birthed a healthy prince, an heir, and he didn't so much as visit her throughout her labor and recovery. It was only two weeks later that he came to see his son, and he stayed for such a short time that it felt he was counting the seconds until he could leave and go back to his concubine. The disinterest in their child, more than anything, hurt Antonia's pride more than Sheila's existence had.**

 **Evan often heard her say that it was fine, that the king would eventually tire of the barbarian woman and return to his real family, and he knew when the king had been back to see her when Antonia was smiling brightly the next day. The smile would fade though, and it could take months before it reappeared. No matter what Evan did to try to cheer her up, no matter how much he tried to keep her and her son company or entice her to paint, he couldn't stop her from slowly becoming depressed and resentful.**

 **At the age of 19, Evan married Ivette Syrene and in the span of seven years fathered two daughters. He continued to visit Antonia every day, and his wife never complained.**

 **When the queen became pregnant a second time, several years later, it wasn't a happy occasion like it had been for the Crown Prince. Antonia seemed listless and disinterested. Near the end of her pregnancy, it became known that Sheila was also expecting; afterward, Evan had to keep a close eye on his friend to ensure she didn't do anything drastic.**

* * *

"No."

"Are you insane?! You think your plan is going to amount to anything if we get attacked and razed to the ground?!" Livi shouted, slamming his hand on the desk.

"That won't happen," Dainer insisted. "This is the imperial capital, no army could possibly-"

"What are you talking about?! You'd rather let us suffer a siege when we could stamp them out before they get anywhere near us?!"

"The city is well fortified-"

"Yes, it is, around the castle! What about the common folk in the Outer Ring?! You think the soldiers are going to leave their towns and fields untouched? You think they won't be killed and raped and suffer for no reason just so they can act as a buffer while the army tires itself out?!"

"The common folk only exist to protect the royal family," Dainer said, his voice rising. "What does it matter if some bloody peasants lose their farms? I won't have you leaving the castle, milord!"

"For the last TIME!" Livi roared. "I am _not_ going to run away! I'm not getting Cecil anywhere near the battlefield if I can help it and I would never abandon him _or_ Talea! They might be pawns in your damned plan, but they're still _my_ family and I know you're holding them hostage right now. However, this is my _job!"_ Livi jabbed a finger into his chest. "A king fights on the front lines and he protects his people at all costs! That includes the commoners _and_ the nobility! Now get _out of my way_ , Dainer!"

Dainer tried to stare down Livi, but the king was no longer a child. His eyes were burning with resentment and anger as usual, but he now had a body to back up his threats with. He had to look _up_ at the boy now, not down, and he was sure that in a physical fight, Livius would easily overpower him.

"Very well," he gave in reluctantly. "I'll be holding your son until you come back." He saw Livi's fists clench but the king merely swept past him into the hall.

 _Not good, he's getting dangerous. I'll have to get him out of the way as soon as Cecil is accepted as heir._

* * *

 ** _"That bitch!"_**

 **Evan couldn't remember the last time he had seen Antonia this livid. It didn't matter that she was holding one child on her shoulder and that another was playing on the floor at her feet; they may not have been there at all for all she noticed.**

 **"I know it's upsetting, Antonia, but-"**

 **"A son?! A son by that bitch?!" She was shaking in anger. "He announced his birth?! That dirty bastard of a child?!"**

 **"Y-yes, he did, but-"**

 **"He announced the birth of that, that** ** _whore's_** **child as if he were a prince?! What about my children?! My sons are legitimate, they're pure-blooded Ifriquiyan princes! Neither of them were announced, neither of them were publicly celebrated!"**

 **"Milady..." one of her maids interrupted worriedly. Antonia automatically handed over her son, who had begun to scream, and continued to shout over his wails.**

 **"I'll kill her! I'll kill that dirty, barbarian woman! If it's the last thing I do, I'll see her dead and her filthy bastard son with her!"**

 **She stomped from the room, and Evan watched her go, at a loss for how to help.**

* * *

Nike and Kitra oversaw Thena's punishment that afternoon. They threw a set of lotus stones around her neck, sealed her voice until dinner time, and watched her to make sure she didn't try to escape. Falaha had calmed down enough to eat dinner with Nike and her family but she continued to glare furiously at the little black haired demon sitting sullenly at the other end of the table.

"Keep up that face and you won't get seconds," Kitra scolded. Of all of Nike's relatives, Kitra was the only one who could inspire a bit of respect in Thena. Perhaps it was his serious and somber demeanor or the fact that he looked like he wouldn't blink an eye at physical punishment, but Thena was more likely to obey if it was Kitra giving the commands. Still, it was only a marginal improvement compared to everyone else.

"I don't want your stupid seconds," Thena grumbled as she spooned up her soup and ignored the fish that Kitra had made. "I hate your food, Uncle."

Kitra gave her a light cuff over the head, but she just made a whining noise and continued to frown as she ate.

"Eh, I think she's getting used to that, Kitra," Kara said as she ate. She and her escort had arrived just before dinner with some valuable information about spy movements in Uldyne. "I don't think it's going to keep her in check much longer."

"A kid like that needs real punishment," Falaha hissed. Her face looked oddly lopsided with only one side of her bangs missing.

"We try, Falaha," Nike assured her. "Believe me, we try."

"Thena's a demon," Kara supplied through a mouthful of rice.

"A monster," Neil agreed.

Thena caught Falaha's eye and gave her her best mockingly angelic smile.

"Why you little-!"

"General Falaha, please, we're trying to eat!" Lanra said. She turned to Thena. "And you, princess, I'll have your dessert for that."

Thena looked positively murderous.

* * *

 **Just as Antonia had warned him, marriage was a loveless affair for aristocrats. Evan and his wife got along courteously enough, and his daughters were perfectly fine, but at night it was Antonia's face that Evan imagined and Antonia's name he longed to call. That longing wouldn't fade even as he watched the friendly, proud, artistic girl he had loved become a bitter, obsessed woman who became increasingly unstable as the years went by.**

 **He couldn't bring himself to hate her, though. Antonia was broken hearted; she loved Leonidas, it was true, but it was the love for her children that tormented her now. She couldn't accept that her husband neglected his legitimate heirs, his own blood related sons, for the sake of a woman who was even lower than the lowest commoner. She couldn't forgive Leonidas for showering all his love and attention on Sheila and her son Livius.**

 **Over the years, a string of brutal assassination attempts tried and failed to claim the king's concubine. Evan had no doubt that the first of them were carried out on Antonia's orders and he did nothing to stop her. Her resentment toward Sheila and Leonidas had been rubbing off on him for years and he found himself wondering if, maybe, just maybe, helping her kill that disgrace of a woman would bring back the Antonia he missed so much.**

* * *

"Milord! Don't get so far ahead!" Violetta shouted.

Livi pretended he couldn't hear. It had been years since he'd been allowed to ride a horse freely and the feeling of the wind in his face and the gentle thumping of the horse's hooves on the dirt as they galloped felt heavenly.

 _Ah, this is freedom._ He almost laughed with a childish delight he'd forgotten he had.

"Your Majesty!"

"Alright, alright," he muttered. "Go ahead and ruin my fun, Violetta." He pulled back on the reins and waited for the rest of the battalion to catch up.

Violetta rode up beside him. "Milord, please. It's much harder to protect you if you're away from the royal guard."

"Sorry," he said, not meaning it at all. They were in the middle of the southern plains; there was no one around for miles and miles and not even a sniper could hide in such flat terrain.

"If you understand," she said, sighing. She barked an order at one of the pages, who immediately ran off to inform the commanding officers. "Are you sure these are enough troops, sire?"

"I've called reinforcements from some of the border cities, and they're coming from the opposite direction so they'll help us catch them in a pincer movement."

"And the rumored Ocean troops?"

"We have three thousand men here and another three thousand ahead. If we can defeat the main force before their reinforcements arrive we should have the upper hand."

"Do we know who the main force is?"

"No, just that they seem to be a group of mixed rebels. Probably various dissidents from around the empire; I doubt they're particularly well trained soldiers so it shouldn't be too difficult to win."

"Hmm, let's hope so, Your Majesty."

"First, we have to get to the city of Uldyne. That will be our base of operations."

"Yes, sire. We should arrive in the town in two days' time."

* * *

 **Livius grew into a frustratingly capable child. He outranked and outshone his half-brothers at every contest and achievement, further lighting Antonia's ire. As the little boy grew ever closer to his eighth birthday, Leonidas began pushing for the government to accept Livius as Crown Prince, an unheard of request when there were two older and legitimate sons higher in the succession.**

 **"Never! I'd rather die and take my children with me than see that creature's child on my son's throne!" Antonia screeched when she heard the news. These days the woman that Evan kept company with hardly seemed to resemble the robust, happy girl he grew up with. She was drawn and her skin was the sickly color of paper. Her hair had begun going white at a shockingly young age and her eyes had a permanently crazed look about them. Queen Antonia never smiled, never laughed, and was obsessed with the succession and her family's reputation. Her sons were raised in an incredibly strict environment and yelled at whenever they lost out to Livius, and they were drilled with a heavy sense of pride for their lineage. It had been years since Antonia had so much as looked at a paintbrush or watched the world with the curious eyes of an artist.**

 **The assassination attempts grew more desperate. Livius came down with a severe case of poisoning and almost died, but instead of relenting, Leonidas merely pushed harder to get Sheila's son acknowledged as his heir. Eventually, someone did die, but it wasn't the young prince.**

 **Sheila took the brunt of an attack meant for Livius and passed away. A week later, Leonidas III followed, though not before taking the last steps to ensure that Livius would inherit after him. At eight years old, the son of that unsightly, common woman was crowned King Livius I and not a day later, Antonia shot herself.**

 **Evan would never forgive Leonidas. Not even Antonia had known that he was the one who had ordered the attack on Sheila and Livius, and that he had had one in place for Leonidas as well, though it hadn't been needed. Only Ivette, Evan's wife and now confidant, knew about the measures her husband had been putting in place for the last few years to help the Queen's sons ascend their rightful place as heirs. Once the queen was dead and Livius proved himself a ruthless, powerful ruler, Evan had to choice but to retreat from court, lie low for a few years, and plan out his revenge against Leonidas and that woman's filthy, barbarian child afresh.**

 **Antonia was gone, but Evan was determined to avenge her. If he couldn't get her blood on the throne, he'd get his own instead. Even if it was from the grave, he'd make Leonidas feel the despair of watching a pretender seize the throne from his chosen heir, just as the former king had done to Antonia Pirenz.**

* * *

"Talea, stop that."

At the sharp rebuke from her mother, Talea suddenly realized she had been tapping the armrest of her chair with her fingertips for the last few minutes.

"Sorry, mother..."

"No need to be so nervous," Lady Ivette said, making a tutting sound. "It's just a rebel army, His Highness will crush it and be back before you know it."

"Yes, mother."

Cecil laughed as Rosalind showed him a puppet she had made from his old socks. Talea watched him ask her maid to make the puppet talk again and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips when he broke out into delighted cries as Rosalind did as he asked.

She watched, but she felt her thoughts being pulled inexorably back toward Livi. She couldn't say why, but there had been a strange mix of feelings swirling around in her chest since he had left. She was worried about him, of course, but that wasn't it. It was like a feeling of relief and a feeling of foreboding all at once.

 _What is it... what's coming, I wonder?_

Lord Dainer came into the parlor and took his favorite place by the window. He paid neither Talea nor Cecil any attention and merely stared off toward the gardens.

 _He's been looking pensive lately. I don't like it. Nothing good ever comes from my father thinking things over._

"Talea, your son wants something from you," her mother said tonelessly. Talea snapped out of her thoughts and looked down to where Cecil was standing, extending his little arms up at her, asking to be picked up.

"Oh, you want to come up?" she asked. He nodded his head and she pulled him up into her lap, where he curled up and almost immediately fell asleep. She held his tiny body close and closed her eyes.

 _Anyway, at the first opportunity, I need to take Cecil and get out of here. I'm sure Livi would understand._


	18. The Red String of Fate

**"Nike, did you know? Wrapped around your little finger from the day you were born is an invisible, red string-"**

 **"Mother, how can it be red if it's invisible?!"**

 **"Oh, uh, good point. Well you see, the gods made it red first, and then invisible, see?"**

 **"Ohhhh. But shouldn't I be able to feel it even if I can't see it?"**

 _ **This child...**_ **Iraha wracked her brains for a good explanation to feed her seven year old daughter.** ** _Too curious for her own good._**

 **"The gods made it so you can't feel it," she added hastily.** ** _Well, it's pretty much what I just said, but thankfully she's not quite bright enough to pick that explanation apart at her age._**

 **"Okay, mother."**

 **"Anyway, as I was saying... the gods tie a red string around your little finger when you're born. The string is very, very long, and tied to the other end is-"**

 **"A mango!"**

 **"No."**

 **"Oh, a coconut?"**

 **Iraha was quickly tiring out.** ** _Why is this child such a glutton?! Why did I have to have anemia, and why couldn't she be easier to deal with, like Kara was?!_**

 **"Nike, mother is feeling tired, so if you want me to finish the story..."**

 **"NO! Okay, sorry mother, I'll listen." Nike sat very still on the cushion at her mother's feet.**

 **"As I was saying," Iraha said, clearing her throat. "Tied to the other end of the string is your soulmate. That person is the one you'll love the most in your entire life, the only person who you can stand next to as an equal, and the person who will love you every bit as much as you love them. Maybe you won't marry them, maybe you won't be able to be with them forever, but the fact that they are tied to you will never change. The red string of fate doesn't break, Nike, no matter how much you pull it."**

 **"How do I know who has the other end?" Nike asked, awe-struck as she stared at her fingertips.**

 **"Oh, you'll know, little princess," Iraha chuckled. "And once you do, try to hold on, hmm? You never know what fate has in store. The string might not break, but the other end can still pull out of reach if you don't hold on tightly."**

* * *

 _Livi..._

 _"Hmm? Hello there, princess."_

 _Hey, have you ever wondered..._

 _"Wondered what?"_

 _Why do you think we can talk like this? Isn't it strange? For years we've been connected like this, but we can't remember a thing when we wake up._

 _"Huh, well I never really thought about it. I figured it had to do with your powers, Nike."_

 _Well, it's true I'm technically a telepath... but usually I only see dreams or spirits..._

 _"Oh, whoa there, that's kind of creepy..."_

 _It's not as scary as you think. It only happens when there are really strong emotions left behind for me to pick up on. But anyway, my point is that I'm not supposed to be able to talk to someone else like this._

 _"Well, are you able to do it with anyone else?"_

 _No, just you._

 _"Then it's the power of love, you know, dear wife? Love."_

 _Ha, funny._

 _"It's what you signed up for when you married me, I'm afraid. All part of the package, Nike. No returns."_

 _Funnily enough that's what Kara said whenever Thena threw a tantrum as a baby._

 _"I can see why you'd want to return that, hahaha."_

 _Still, I know you were joking, but you might be right._

 _"What, seriously?"_

 _You know, when I was little, my mother told me a story. She said that whenever someone is born, the gods tie a red string around their little finger._

 _"That sounds like an odd fashion choice."_

 _Shush, listen to the end._

 _"Sorry."_

 _She said that the string goes on for a long long way, but the other end is tied to your soulmate, and no matter what, it will never, ever break._

 _"That's... pretty romantic. But unrealistic."_

 _Oh?_

 _"Well, yeah. Plenty of people, especially those from royalty and nobility, end up marrying people they don't love, and some of them never learn to love either. And there's all those people whose lovers die or disappear... It just seems silly to say that there's one perfect person for you and that you're destined to be happy together."_

 _True, but I didn't say that, did I?_

 _"Huh?"_

 _Just because the string is tied to your soulmate doesn't mean you'll ever meet them. It doesn't mean you'll marry them or even that you'll only love them in your whole life. The string doesn't break, but you might never follow it to its destination. And if you do, it doesn't always mean that the other person won't pull away. It just means that your soulmate is out there, somewhere, and that if you're lucky enough to find them, you have to hold on._

 _"I see... but then, is that person really your soulmate, if you have to work hard to make the relationship work?"_

 _What, have you ever seen an effortless relationship? No such thing, Livi._

 _"Hmmm, I guess you're right. So, who is tied to the end of your string, Nike?"_

 _Not telling._

 _"What?!"_

 _Hahahaha, I knew you'd react like that!_

 _"You-"_

 _Don't be an idiot, Livi. Of course it's you._

 _"Hmph."_

 _Come on, I was just kidding, don't sulk._

 _"I'm not sulking..."_

 _Oh please, I'm raising Thena, remember? I've never seen a father and daughter so alike._

 _"Oh, wait. Just now, with that story, you were trying to say that the reason we can communicate like this is because we're linked by the string of fate, right?"_

 _Mhm. But we probably couldn't do it before because we weren't torn apart like we are now._

 _"So you're saying that everything we've been through ended up strengthening our connection and linked us through your telepathy?"_

 _It's the only reason I can come up with, at least._

 _"A link created from suffering, huh... well, I guess that's one good thing to come out of this whole ordeal."_

 _When you put it that way..._

 _"But, Nike... if that's true, why can I talk to Thena?"_

 _Beats me. Then again she's an entirely different level of telepath. I have no idea what she's capable of. And maybe, she's linking with you through something else._

 _"Through what?"_

 _Maybe... blood? She's your daughter, after all._

 _"Hmm, that might be it..."_

* * *

Thena was hiding.

Her mother had gone to town with her aunt and left her with her Uncle Kitra and Lanra for the afternoon. She had behaved, for the most part, but now Thena was running away from her studies with Neil again.

 _I hate studying, it's boring,_ she thought as she skulked behind a set of barrels at the edge of camp. She could hear Lanra calling her name; she was close, and Thena had no wish to be found and be carried back to the tent. She frantically scanned the area for an escape route.

She found one. A small wagon was being loaded by some soldiers nearby, and though she didn't know what they were loading up, she could at least understand that there was only one town nearby and that the soldiers must be heading to the place her mother called Uldyne.

Thena had never been to the city, but she was an observant child. Everyone in camp talked about Uldyne because it was the closest place to "restock surprise", whatever that meant. Her mother and aunt often went there to "gather intelligents," and though Thena had yet to see them bring anyone back, she had watched them leave from the top of the hill on horseback. It couldn't be that far if they always came back before it was dark, she reasoned, so she made up her mind quickly.

As quietly as she could, she drew up close to the wagon. Whispering an incantation, she made the wind push over a barrel away from the loading area to distract the workers and pulled herself up before they returned. Thena was a rather acrobatic child, so though she was small, she managed to get into the wagon and hide under a tarp quite easily.

 _Ha, she won't find me now_ , she thought smugly as she heard Lanra's voice fade in the opposite direction.

* * *

 _Ugh, I need a break._

Livi stared out of his window and rubbed his eyes tiredly under his glasses. They had arrived in Uldyne a few hours ago but had so far seen neither hide nor tail of the supposed invading army. He suspected that the city was harboring whoever made up their forces, but until they made contact with their informants, there was nothing to do but wait. The king's army was encamped outside town, but Livi and the immediate royal guard had found a tavern to stay in while they waited for the spies to arrive. In the meantime, Livi tackled some of his paperwork; it had been years since he'd had to work in earnest, and getting back into his old rhythm was difficult.

 _Maybe I'll go out for a while. It should be fine if I go in plain clothes since the public hasn't seen me in so long._

Livi put down his quill and stood up, pulling on his plain black cloak. It was a little chilly and it was useful to have a hood on hand, just in case.

He left his room and knocked on Violetta's next door.

"Captain, I'm going for a walk," he called. She answered a second later.

"Not without an escort, you're not," she said firmly, opening the door.

"Spare me, Violetta. I need some alone time for once."

"But what if-"

"Don't worry so much, I've got it covered," he said, patting his sword hilt. "And no one is going to recognize me anyway."

"If you ask me, a young man walking around with a fancy sword like that is bound to attract more attention..."

"Then lend me one of yours."

Violetta sighed. "You're going to go even if I don't approve, aren't you, Your Majesty?"

"Pretty much."

She thought for a second. "...Very well, but if you so much as get a scratch, I'll personally make sure you never go anywhere without an escort. And I mean, _everywhere_."

 _Erk._

"A-alright, fine. Just hand over your sword."

She unbuckled her scabbard and handed it over reluctantly. He handed his over in exchange. "I hope you know I'm only doing this as a favor to you, milord."

"I know, I really appreciate it Violetta. I know you're having a hard time too," he said kindly. She nodded absently, her eyes glazed over, and closed the door.

* * *

Thena knew they had arrived in town when she started to hear the noise of people bustling around. She waited until the cart stopped moving at an intersection to sneakily climb out the back. When she lowered herself down, she suddenly found herself in the middle of a market.

 _W-wow!_ She stared openmouthed at all the stalls along the street. There were so many that even if Thena could count beyond thirty, she still wouldn't be able to count them all. Fish vendors, butchers, fruit stalls, all sorts of cooked food, trinkets and jewelry... the kinds of shops seemed endless to the tiny three year old, uncannily intelligent though she might be. Excited, she darted out of the road and started running along the thoroughfare, inspecting each stall as best as she could. No one seemed to notice that there was a little girl wandering around by herself, and she was so short that the vendors didn't seem to realize she was there at all.

 _Oh, they have pretty earrings!_ She stood on tiptoe to look at the beautiful stones and golden pins, envious. She didn't like her earrings very much, but she had grown used to them and would have liked to own some nicer ones, like her mother's. The vendor looked down and seemed surprised to find a child staring intently at his selection, her hands clinging to the edge of the countertop.

"Oh, hello there, miss."

"'lo," Thena said tonelessly. She was engrossed in a pair of green stones with carved flowers on them.

"Where's your mother?"

"Dunno," she said, thinking about what the earrings might look like in place of her black stones.

"An orphan?"

She looked up at him quizzically. "What's that?"

"Someone who doesn't have a mother or father."

"Oh, then I'm not an or-fen. I have a mama and a daddy."

"Are you lost then, miss?" he asked, concerned.

"Nope," she said, and pointed at the earrings. "What are those green ones?"

"Jade," he replied, though he was clearly still wondering about her wandering around on her own.

"What's that?"

"A kind of stone."

"Do they make your head go quiet too?"

"Eh?"

"I don't like the ones that make it quiet," she complained.

"Uh, I'm not sure what you mean, miss, but it's just a plain stone."

"Oh good, can I have them?"

He blinked at her.

"Do you have money?"

"What's money?" she asked, confused. Having grown up in a palace, Thena had never had to handle money. She was so spoiled that even when she was taken out into town everyone tripped over themselves to give her things. She was a princess after all.

"Sorry miss, if you don't have money I can't give them to you."

"But I want them!" she cried.

"Find your mother and maybe she'll buy them for you," he said firmly.

"No!"

"Miss, please don't cause trou-"

"I WANT THEM, I WANT THEM!" she screamed angrily, stamping her foot. She couldn't fathom why the man wouldn't give them to her. _What is wrong with him?! Doesn't he know how this works?! I'll tell mama on him!_

"Miss, please!"

"Is something the matter, sir?"

A tall, hooded man approached the stall. Thena ignored him; she was in the throes of a temper tantrum and didn't care about anyone at the moment.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear customer, this little girl suddenly demanded I give her some of my merchandise... I think she might be lost."

"I see." The tall man looked down at Thena. She couldn't see his face because of the shadow but somehow she got a strange feeling in her stomach. He crouched down next to her. "What's your name?"

"Not telling," she said angrily.

"Gonna play hard to get, huh?"

"Mama says not to talk to suspicious people."

"Wow, that is a big word," he said, impressed. For some reason Thena thought she recognized the stranger's voice, but she couldn't place it. It echoed oddly in her ears. "You must be a really smart girl."

"Grandma says I'm a genus," she said proudly. The man chuckled.

"A genius, eh? How old are you?"

Thena held up three fingers.

"Oh wow, maybe your grandmother has a point," he said.

"Of course."

"So, why are you bothering this poor man?"

Thena frowned.

"I'm not _bothering_ him! I just want those earrings!"

"But you know, kiddo, he can't just give them away..."

"Why not?! Everyone gives me things!" she shouted, crossing her arms.

He laughed. "Oh my gods, you must be spoiled rotten!"

"Am not!"

"Are so," he said, reaching to pinch her cheek. She slapped his hand away and almost called the wind to cut him but restrained herself at the last second. Somehow, she got the feeling that using her powers here would be a bad idea. "Yeesh, what a little tyrant!" he exclaimed, shaking his hand after her stinging slap.

"Go away," she ordered. He laughed again.

"Oh, you must drive your parents crazy," he chuckled. "Alright, let's see..." He stood up and looked at the selection of earrings. "Which did you want, kiddo?"

Thena pointed at the green ones. "Those! They're the color of mama's eyes!"

"Ah, is that where you got those pretty eyes?" he asked. She nodded. "Alright then. Mister, I'll take these."

"Eh?"

"I've got the money," the stranger said, reaching into his pocket and handing over a handful of coins.

 _Ohhhh, THAT'S money..._

"Ah, then of course, sir." The man took the coins and wrapped up the pair of earrings in decorative paper. "Thank you for your business," he said, bowing. The stranger nodded and looked back at Thena.

"Okay kid, you can have these-"

"Yay!" she said, reaching for the small package. He yanked it out of reach.

"No no no, I'm not done talking yet," he chided. He sounded like he was enjoying himself. Thena scowled. "I'll give these to you IF you tell me your name and IF you let me help you find your parents."

"No!" she cried. The last thing she wanted was for her mother to find her. The scolding she would be in for...

"Okay, I'll just keep these then," he shrugged, putting the package into his cloak pocket. "Bye then, kiddo." He waved and began to walk away.

Thena stared after him, a fierce battle raging in her mind.

On the one hand, pretty earrings... on the other, her mother was going to eat her alive.

Earrings... scolding...

But they were such a nice color...

"W-wait!" she ran after him desperately. He stopped to let her catch up.

"Hmm? Changed your mind, kiddo?"

"Fine," she said, pouting in defeat. "I'll go with you, so gimme!"

"Nuh uh, not until we get you to your parents, got it?"

"Fine," she mumbled. He held out a hand for her. She reluctantly took it.

"So then, kiddo, what's your name?"

"Thena," she said petulantly.

"Hmm...? Is that short for something?"

"Athene."

"Eh? Seriously?"

"What?"

"Oh nothing, I just always thought that if I had a daughter, I'd like to name her Athena..." Something about his voice suddenly seemed far away.

She dug her feet into the ground. "Suspicious!" she said loudly.

"Huh?" he asked, puzzled.

"Sus-pi-cious!" she enunciated. "And you haven't even taken off your hood! You could be trying to kitnap me! Mama said so! I won't go with you until you stop hiding your face!"

He stared down at her for a second and suddenly burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying to catch his breath. "You're right, I probably look really suspicious right now." He pulled back his hood.

He had silky black hair and warm, but tired, blue eyes. His nose was upturned slightly and he had a very handsome profile. It was a face Thena knew very, very well, if only in her deepest subconscious.

She gasped.

"DADDY!" she screamed, and threw herself at him.

"W-what?!" Livi looked absolutely bewildered as the little girl clung to his cloak.

* * *

At first, he had just wanted to save the poor shopkeeper from a scene. The little girl screaming her head off in the middle of the thoroughfare was doing the man no favors for his business, and since no one else seemed willing to step in and help, Livi decided to see what he could do to calm her down.

In less than five minutes, he decided that the girl was the most spoiled, selfish creature he had ever seen. He also thought she was incredibly amusing and, for some reason, he thought she looked rather familiar, though he couldn't place it. Perhaps it was because her hair was black, like his and Cecil's, but something about her pretty face was nagging at the back of his mind. Her eyes, too, were very captivating. He had only ever seen eyes in that shade of green in the Rain Duchy, and he vaguely wondered if this girl was an immigrant; her clothes were a bit strange now that he took a closer look. They had an interesting pattern around the sleeves and hem, a pattern he'd only seen in Nike's country.

That may have been the reason that he decided to help her out. She was clearly lost, or at least a runaway, and her parents were probably searching for her frantically. As a father, Livi couldn't turn away from a young child in need of help. Or at least, he couldn't turn away from _this_ particularly intriguing child.

Regardless, it was still a shock when she threw herself at him.

 _Daddy...?! Oh shit, I probably look a bit like her father...! She's gotten me confused with him, damn._

"Daddy, daddy! Mama said we'd see you soon, but I found you first!" she squealed with delight, tugging at his cloak.

He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Look kiddo, I'm sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone else," he said gently. "I'm not your daddy, I've never met you before, remember?"

"What are you saying, daddy? I talk to you all the time!" He crouched down and gently pried her hands away. He looked her in the eyes. _They really are a beautiful color..._ he thought before shaking his head slightly.

"Thena, maybe I look like your daddy, but I'm not him. I don't have a daughter. I have a son."

"I know! My little brother, right?"

"No, he doesn't have a sister. It's just him."

"Daddy, you're saying weird stuff again."

Livi rubbed his temples. _How do I make her understand...?_

"Look, won't your real daddy be sad if he finds out you thought I was him?"

"Of course not, because it IS you. Daddy is Daddy," she said confidently.

"No, no, your real daddy is gonna cry, Thena. And your mom is going to be angry if she finds out you couldn't tell us apart."

"No she won't. She'll be super happy! She's been waiting for you forever," Thena said matter-of-factly. "Though she might beat you up a bit for leaving so long, Daddy."

 _Oh crap, did her father abandon his family?! Shit, this is bad. She's going to be crushed when her mother explains I'm not him... What do I do...?_

Thena pulled at his sleeve. "Daddy..."

He groaned. He had to stop this quickly, but he couldn't bring himself to break her little heart either. Suddenly he had an idea.

"Okay, how about this, Thena?" he said, taking her small hands. "Until we find your mama, I'll be your temporary daddy, yeah?"

"What's temporary...?"

"Just for a while."

"But that's silly, you're always daddy!"

"Just until we find your mama, got it?" he stressed, but he got the impression that Thena wasn't the type of child to listen when she got an idea stuck in her head. Just as he expected, she shrugged.

"Whatever you say, daddy."

* * *

"Looks like the royal army has arrived," Kara sighed.

"That was fast," Nike muttered. They were seated at a small tavern, hoods on while they discussed the intel they'd gathered from their allies in the city.

"Seems like there's a big-shot with them, but the mayor's assistant doesn't know who," Kara said, taking a drink. Unlike Nike, Kara enjoyed a bit of ale from time to time. Perhaps it came from spending so much time with Livi, but Nike was more of a wine person.

"It's probably one of the generals, maybe even Bard."

"Then we can negotiate!"

"I don't know, we can't trust anybody just now."

"Hey, Nike... What if it's brother-in-law...?" Kara asked apprehensively.

"I doubt it, all the intel so far says he's been keeping a low profile. I'm going to have to go drag him out of the castle with my bare hands," Nike said, cracking her knuckles.

"Well you can't be sure."

"That's true... If it's him, I'll just beat him to a pulp on the battlefield and drag him back home with me," Nike huffed. She drank from her glass of water.

"You say that, little sis, but I know you. You're going to run into his arms and _then_ beat him into a pulp."

"Will not!"

"Will so."

"I'm too pissed for that," Nike muttered.

"So you say, but I know you haven't really been pissed at him in years. You're just upset and hurt."

"Stop reading my mind, Kara-nee!"

"You're adorable, Nike," Kara chuckled. "I hope things turn out well. I just want you two to make up and be happy again."

"Kara..."

"Milady!" Nike and Kara both jumped in their seats. Kara spilled some of her drink down her cloak.

"What the-" They turned to find Kitra and Lanra hurrying toward their table. They looked rather panicked.

"What's going on?" Nike demanded. "Where's Thena?!"

"We don't know, Nike," Kitra said, pressing his hand to his forehead tiredly. "She ran off hours ago, but no matter where we looked in camp, no one seems to have seen her."

"Did you check the fields around camp?" Kara asked immediately. "She runs out there to play sometimes."

"She's not there," Lanra said, wringing her hands. "Neil stayed behind to double check, but it's almost certain she's not in camp at all. I'm so sorry, milady, this is all my fault!"

"Don't be silly, Lanra," Nike said, trying to calm the maid down as she broke into sobs. "Thena is too clever for her own good..." She felt herself begin to panic despite her attempts to soothe Lanra. _No, it won't do any good to freak out now._

"It gets worse, Nike," Kitra said gravely. "There was a guard who saw her playing around near one of the supply wagons, but he didn't see her again after it left..."

Nike almost broke her glass with her bare hand.

 _"She's here?!"_ she hissed, equal parts furious and horrified.

"We think so..."

 _She's running around town by herself?! With the royal army in the city?!_ Her thoughts must have been echoed on her face because Kara suddenly grabbed her shoulders.

"Calm down, Nike," she said firmly. "Breathe. Nothing is going to happen to Thena. She can take care of herself, and she's not stupid enough to follow a stranger around. We have to start looking for her, but you need to _breathe_."

Nike felt her sister's hypnotic suggestion begin to take hold as she took one deep breath after the other.

"Thank you, Kara-nee," she said quietly. Kara nodded. Nike turned to look at Kitra and Lanra. "We have to split up and find her before dark. We can't risk someone from the royal army getting their hands on her; one slip up and Thena will give us all away, and we have to assume that they won't hesitate to use her as a hostage if it comes down to it."

"Yes, milady."

"Let's go," Kitra said, putting down a coin on the table for Kara and Nike's drinks as they all hurried from the tavern.

* * *

"Daddy, I want a bun!"

"You just had a whole bag of roasted chestnuts!"

"I WANT A BUN!"

"You can't be serious," Livi groaned. "Why are you such a pain?!"

 _I have never been so thankful for Cecil's shy and quiet personality as I am right now._

"BUN!"

"No!"

"BUUUUUUN!" she whined, trying to pull her hand from his grip. He ignored her cries and kept walking, all but dragging her along.

 _I pity this girl's mother. What a nightmare!_

She started to wail, and Livi was painfully aware that the passerby were all giving him funny looks.

 _Crap, so much for keeping a low profile..._

He sighed and stopped. "Okay, here's the deal," he said. "You get ONE bun. ONE. But only if you BEHAVE."

"A meat one," she sniffed.

"Fine, a meat one, whatever."

It was as if she'd never been crying in the first place.

"Meat bun, meat bun~" she chanted in a sing-song voice as she pulled him toward the stall.

 _Why this little... she's playing me!_

He grumbled to himself as he pulled out another coin and asked for a bun. He wrapped it in a napkin for her and her eager little hands accepted it greedily. Her whole face lit up and suddenly he found he couldn't stay mad at her.

 _What the heck is this child?! How can she be so cute when she's such a monster?! I haven't seen a glutton like this since..._

He couldn't bring himself to think of Nike.

"Dathy, ith hot!" Thena cried suddenly, holding a hand to her mouth.

"Careful there," he said, handing her his canteen. She took a small sip.

"Ew!" she said, spitting it out.

"Hey! That's expensive wine!" he shouted.

"Ewwwww," Thena repeated, making a face.

 _Moron, of course she doesn't drink wine. She's just a regular kid. Only nobles grow up drinking this stuff._

"Oh, damn, sorry," he found himself apologizing. "Wait right here a sec, okay?" He ran off to another stall and returned quickly with a cup of water. "Here, drink this."

She accepted the cup and drank deeply. When she was done she handed it back to him and returned to devouring her bun without a word of thanks.

Livi didn't even bother to feel annoyed. He had grasped what kind of little monster he was dealing with now.

"Ready to go?"

She nodded, her cheek full of bread crumbs.

"Alrighty then." He bent down to pick her up and sat her on his shoulders. She squealed. "You okay up there?"

"Yes!" she said happily. Livi felt crumbs fall into his hair, but for some reason, he didn't care much.

They set off down the road again, the idle chatter between them occasionally interrupted by Livi asking Thena if she could see her mother from up high.

* * *

Thena had always wondered what it would be like to meet her daddy. She talked to him often in her head, but it wasn't the same as being next to him. She never knew her daddy was so tall, or so warm. She didn't know he laughed quite that loudly, or that he could pick her up like she didn't weigh anything. She didn't know his hands could be so much bigger than her mama's, or that he got irritated so easily. She was somewhat surprised to find that he was much easier to manipulate than he was in her head, and she didn't know why he was acting like he didn't know her.

Still, Thena knew without a doubt that this man was her daddy. She had seen him vaguely in her mind when they talked, but a much clearer picture was available whenever her mother thought about him. True, the daddy that Nike thought about was younger, and more child-like, but Thena knew this was him. She wasn't an idiot; she knew everyone said she looked just like her daddy, and she obviously owned a mirror. That was her face she was looking at; the only difference was that his was older and he had blue eyes. His voice was a little different in person, but it was definitely his, and there was just an overall sense of _rightness_ that Thena had only ever known with her mother. This was definitely Livius, the man who shared her last name.

Thena was so happy, sitting on his shoulders as they walked through town, that she suddenly started to sing. It was a song her mother sang for her, a silly tune about a cat running on rooftops, but in the Rain Duchy, people were always singing when they were feeling particularly emotional. Thena didn't know any rain songs yet, but she still grew up learning that singing was a natural form of expression.

Livi listened quietly as she sang loudly.

"You have a pretty voice, Thena." She thought he sounded almost sad when he said it.

"Is something wrong, daddy?"

"No, just thinking about someone I miss a lot."

"What happened to them?" she asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She rested her elbows on his head.

"They... went far away."

"Like you did, Daddy?"

"Uhm... not quite..."

"Why don't you go look for them if you miss them?"

"Some things you can't find, no matter how hard you look," he said quietly. Thena stopped for a moment to think.

"I think you can," she said suddenly. "You know, daddy, even the dead are precious."

"W-what? How did you-" He seemed astounded that she'd understood he was talking about someone who had died.

"Mama told me a story," she continued. "Do you remember? The one about the animals dying and the gods punishing us?"

"N-no, I can't say I know what you're talking about."

"You told me to think about it," she said, unconcerned with his forgetfulness. "And I did, but I didn't get it until now. You know, about this." She stuck her wrist out so he could crane his neck and see her bracelet.

"Hmm? I've never seen a bracelet like that. It's beautiful."

"Mhm, it's ivory."

"Ivory?"

"Yeah. Mama says our 'antcestours' killed a bunch of animals and took their "tusks" to make these pretty things. And the gods got mad that we hurt the animals so they killed the people too."

"I've never heard of such a grim story," Livi muttered. Thena ignored him.

"It was really sad and lots of people and animals died. But that's why we keep using ivory," she said, fiddling with the yellowish band. "It's an important memory of all those lost lives. We didn't notice how precious they were until they were gone, but we still have this to remember them with. So, daddy, if you look, I'm sure there's a lot of things that will help you remember that person."

Livi didn't reply.

"...Daddy...?"

"What... what if you don't want to remember?" he asked, and Thena thought his voice sounded shaky.

"Hmmm, did you hate them, daddy?"

"No! I... I loved her with all my heart..."

"Then why do you want to forget?"

"Because it hurts, Thena."

She frowned. All the lessons with her mother and aunt about the nature of Amefurashi started coming back to her.

"Then isn't that why you should remember no matter what? If you loved that person, and it hurts to think about it, then doesn't that mean you still love them?"

"Of course I still love her! But no matter how much I love her, it won't bring her back..."

"No, but that person will still be alive in your memories."

"...Are you really three years old, Thena?"

"Yup! I'll be four in the spring!"

"You really are smart. Heh, maybe you have a point."

"You know, Mama said that everything has a price," she said. "The price we paid for this pretty ivory were all the lives that got taken away. Maybe the price you're paying right now is because you didn't show that person you loved them enough." She wasn't sure where the words came from, but it seemed like the right thing to say.

"That's... blunt." He gave a sad laugh. "But you're probably right. I didn't treasure her enough. I thought I did; I thought I was doing everything I could for her, but in the end I left her all alone. I know it wasn't something I could control, but still..." he lapsed into silence.

"Hey, daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"If you feel that way, then you have to remember her. Then she'll always be in your heart, right? My auntie says that love is the most powerful magic there is. Even when people go away or die, everyone is linked through their hearts, and that's what magic is all about."

"Magic, huh? It's been a long time since I've seen any magic... But thank you, Thena. You're right, I'll try to remember her."

"Good. I'm sure mama would be happy if you did."

"Huh...?"

"Oh, nothing."

* * *

Thena suddenly swung her head around and stared behind them.

"Daddy, stop," she commanded. He did as she asked.

"Did something happen?"

"I heard my name," she said, listening hard. "Someone is calling me..."

"Can you see them?"

"Nuh uh, just hear them." Livi turned around and squinted through the crowd.

"What does your mama look like?"

"You're being silly again, Daddy."

 _This kid... I can't tell if she's incredibly intelligent or ridiculously dense._

"What's her hair color?"

"Brown, remember?"

"And you said her eyes are green, like yours, right?"

"Yup."

 _Okay, that should narrow down the search a bit. Not that many people with brown hair in the Sun Kingdom._

"Keep your eyes open, Thena."

"Kay."

They began walking in the opposite direction, scanning the crowd as they went.

"I can hear it again," Thena said after a few minutes.

"I can't hear a thing," Livi said, frowning. Perhaps it was because Thena was on higher ground, but all he could hear was the sound of the chattering crowd. It was a busy day in the marketplace, which had been good cover when he left his room earlier. Now, he wished all these people would leave so he could find the girl's mother quickly.

"Oh! I see her!" Thena said excitedly. "MAMA!" she called loudly, waving her arms.

Livi couldn't see, but he thought he heard a faint cry in response.

"Did she see you?"

"Uhm, not sure. Maybe she's just calling my name more. Let's get closer, daddy."

"Got it."

"Mama! I'm here!" Thena shouted again. This time, Livi clearly heard someone call "Athene!" but it was hard to make out the voice.

"How much farther, kiddo?"

"She saw me, she's coming! Daddy, put me down!"

Livi obeyed and lifted the girl from his shoulders gently. He had only just set her down on the ground when a woman recklessly pushed through the crowd.

"ATHENE! Oh thank the gods, you're okay!" She threw her arms around the little girl and held her tightly. "Thank goodness, I'm so glad you're safe..." she sighed in relief and kissed the girl's brow. A second later she pulled away and glared at Thena. "But you're in _so_ much trouble, you little demon! What do you think would have happened if we couldn't find you?!"

"It's okay, mama! Daddy helped me find you!" Thena said cheerfully, looking back at Livi.

"Daddy...?" the woman frowned. For the first time, she looked up at the man who had been carrying her daughter around.

Livi couldn't breathe. His vision was swimming and he was vaguely aware that his knees had given way.

 _No... I'm dreaming... it can't be!_

He couldn't muster the strength to speak, couldn't even think straight.

 _I'm seeing things, I have to be! Those eyes, that hair...! Those lips... I've kissed them! That face, those hands... that's all her! But... it can't be real!_

He felt something warm and wet run down his cheeks.

 _Nike...!_


	19. An Honorable Duel

Nike was about to thank the stranger for looking after her daughter when she caught his eye and was suddenly struck dumb.

 _Of all the places, and all the situations...! You can't be serious!_

He was older, more angled. His face had lost all of its baby fat and he was certainly taller than her now, by quite a bit. His eyes were sharper, his lips fuller and more sensual. He was every bit the handsome young man he had promised he'd be when he grew up and Nike couldn't believe her eyes.

 _This... this is Livi?!_

Perhaps it was the lengthy absence, but she felt the breath knocked out of her. It was definitely him, she knew that face no matter how much it had aged. She had kissed those cheeks, those eyelids... she'd buried her face in that shoulder, though it was so much broader now. It was only once, but she would never forget the feel of his body pressed against her, or the way his heart pounded under her lips when she kissed his neck and...

Her face was suddenly very, very hot.

 _What am I thinking about?! Get a grip, Nike!_

"Mama...?"

Thena's worried query brought her back to her senses. Slightly.

She blinked and realized that Livi had sunk to his knees and that there were tears on his cheeks.

 _What...?_

She didn't have time to fully process what was going on. Her arm was suddenly pulled up from behind.

"Nike! Hurry, we have to _go!"_ someone hissed in her ear. She vaguely recognized the voice as Kitra's.

 _Go? Go where? Livi is right there, look!_

"Come _on!_ It's not safe, remember?!" he shook her slightly.

She looked down and saw Thena's confused face, and suddenly the urgency of the situation came flooding back to her.

 _Shit!_

Without a word, she grabbed Thena around the waist and hauled her bodily through the crowd, Kitra pushing people aside to let them through.

"W-wait!" She recognized Livi's voice calling after her desperately and wanted nothing more than to turn and run toward him, not away. She steeled her heart.

As long as there was any doubt that Livi wasn't in league with whatever was going on, Nike couldn't afford to trust him with Thena's life. Not yet.

"Mama, why are we running?!" Thena shouted, bewildered. Nike didn't answer, just held her daughter close as they ran.

 _I'm so sorry, Livi, but I can't...! I have to protect Thena!_

 _"Nike, wait!"_

She tried to ignore his heartbroken cries as she and Kitra bolted through the mass of people in the marketplace.

* * *

"I can't believe it! Of all the places...!" Neil said, pacing in the tent.

Nike just buried her head in her knees, feeling drained. Thena had been spirited away by Lanra on the pretext of getting the child a bath; it was a not-so-subtle ploy to leave Nike alone with her complicated emotions for a while.

"Neil, shush," Kara scolded. "She's already overwhelmed."

"I-I know," the chamberlain said, covering his face in exhaustion. "But the chances are so... _ridiculous_!"

"Still, it happened."

"Ugh, but this means..."

"We'll have to move immediately," Kara supplied quietly.

Nike looked over her crossed arms, aware that her eyes were red.

"Tomorrow," she said hoarsely.

"T-tomorrow, milady?!"

"We have to do it tomorrow," she elaborated. "I know the Ocean troops won't get here for another day, but we have to hold them at bay long enough to negotiate."

"Nike..." Kara said, her voice full of concern.

"I... I want to believe in Livi," Nike continued, her words threatening to drown in emotion. She steadied herself as best as she could. "I don't know what's going on any better than I did before, but... it doesn't seem like he wants to hurt us."

"Not willingly, anyway," Neil agreed.

"But that's the problem," Nike said, still holding tightly to her knees. "What if someone is pulling the strings? Can we negotiate if Livi isn't free to act? After today, I don't think he would ever hurt me, or Thena even, but can we be sure about his army? The government? Someone tried to kill us and we're still nowhere near finding out who."

"I don't know, Your Majesty..."

"I just... I can't get the image of him crying in the street out of my head," Nike said, staring at nothing in particular. "I don't know if I want to hold him or yell at him... I'm the one who wants to cry."

"Milady..."

"If we can just get him away from his army... if we can just get him alone, I think he'll be willing to talk... But I have no clue how we're supposed to _do_ that!" Nike hit the floor with her fist angrily.

Kara looked lost in thought for a second.

"Hey, Nike... I have an idea."

* * *

 _She's alive. She's alive! I'm sure of it, that was Nike!_

Livi had no idea when he had returned to his room, but when he realized it, he was lying in his bed, fully clothed. He covered his face with his arms and tried to recall every precious detail before they slipped away.

 _She's alive... Nike is alive..._ Somehow he felt that if he could just keep repeating that fact in his thoughts, everything would be alright. As long as she was alive...

He recalled her expression when she caught his eye. Confused, a bit lost... but then she recognized him, he could tell _. Her cheeks flushed... I'd almost forgotten how cute she is..._

He laughed and surprised himself. It was a wild, delirious sound, almost feral.

 _I'm losing my mind. I have to see her again, now!_

He was almost out of his bed again when he recalled the man who pulled her away.

 _Kitra..._

A pang of jealousy flooded his stomach and he sunk back into the mattress. Since they were children, Kitra had always been in love with his cousin. Livi hadn't let it bother him too much when they were engaged, but the situation was different now.

 _Why is Kitra here?! Why is she with him? And that girl, Thena..._

A painful thought crossed his mind. Perhaps, Nike had fled to the Duchy and married Kitra... then that would make Thena...

 _No, don't be stupid, that kid looks nothing like Kitra. If anything, she looks more like-_

He almost fell out of his bed as the realization hit him.

"BLOODY HELL, SHE'S MINE!?" he shouted aloud. He heard the sudden pounding of footsteps and a heavy knock on the door.

"Your Majesty?! Are you alright?!" Violetta called frantically.

 _No way, we only... it was just that one time! How could we possibly have... with Talea it took so long...!_

His head was spinning as he frantically made some mental calculations.

 _But... if she's really three, she's the right age...! And that face, that hair color...! She looks familiar because that's MY face, my hair color...!_

"Your Majesty?! If you don't respond, I'll kick down the door!"

Another thought presented itself. He couldn't help it, he started to laugh again.

"Dainer, you fucked up!" he howled, just as Violetta forced the door open. She found him delirious with laughter and not altogether in his right mind.

* * *

"Milady, I have something for you."

Lanra dug in her apron pockets and pulled out a rather large package. She handed it to Nike, who was just about to climb onto her horse.

"What is it?"

"Open it and see."

Raising an eyebrow, Nike pulled off the paper covering and stared at the object in her hands.

It was a silver circlet, intricately wrought and as lovely as it had been the last time she had seen it.

"Lanra... Have you been carrying this around all these years?" she asked, a wave of emotion threatening to take her under.

"It was Mikia's idea, princess," Lanra said softly. Carefully, she untied Nike's braid and ran her fingers through the soft brown hair. Satisfied with the result, she took the coronet from Nike's hands and placed it gently on her head. "There, now you're ready."

Nike pulled the maid into a tight hug.

"Thank you, Lanra... I don't know where I'd be without your company all these years. And I'm sorry... so sorry I couldn't save Mikia or Sunya."

"Princess, don't cry... It wasn't your fault. Mikia... I'm sure she doesn't blame you. And Sunya would never want you to be sad over her."

"Thank you..."

"Milady, we have always loved you. All we've ever wanted is for you to be happy, and even if I'm the only one left, that wish hasn't changed," Lanra said, holding her tightly. "Please, princess. Don't die today. Draw your sword and proudly show them that you're our rightful queen for a reason. Take His Majesty back with your own hands."

"I will, Lanra. I promise," Nike whispered.

"I'll watch over the princess. She's safe with me and Neil, back in the camp."

"I'll hold you to it," Nike laughed, pulling away. "Don't let her trick you," she added as she put one foot in the stirrup and pulled herself up into her saddle.

"Oh, we'll tie her down if we have to."

"You have my permission, just for today."

Lanra gave her lowest and most formal bow.

"Yes, Your Highness. Come back safely."

* * *

"Milord, the enemy is on the march!" Renato cried, looking through his spyglass.

Livi had to force himself to stop daydreaming. _Focus, this is important. I can think about finding Nike later, after we've taken care of this invasion._

"How many men?" he asked, trying not to sound as if he hadn't been paying attention.

Renato quickly scanned the field.

"The number looks to be in the upper hundreds, perhaps a thousand or so, sire. They haven't rendezvoused with the troops from the north yet."

"They shouldn't be a problem then," Livi said, sighing in relief. _Three thousand versus a mere few hundred? This should be over quickly._

"Keep your guard up," Violetta warned. "They have to be marching because they feel confident they can take us on. We have to hold our ground no matter what."

"You have a point, captain." Livi looked out over the plain. He was satisfied with his choice; it was a good place to make their stand, flat and sturdy enough for the cavalry. He could see the army approaching over the crest of the hills to the south. _They'll be tired after that climb_. "Get the cavalry unit on the front lines," he said.

"Yes, milord."

"Are they flying any standards, Renato?"

"Yes, but they're too far away to see," he said, squinting through the lens.

"Colors?"

"Red... and gold? I think there's some blue and silver as well, and some yellow?"

 _What the, there shouldn't be any heraldry in gold outside the Sun Kingdom...! A domestic force? But wait, no, blue and silver aren't in any of our standards at all..._

He tapped his fingers impatiently on the hilt of his sword, thinking furiously. "Keep me posted, I'm going to have a quick word with the generals."

"Yes, sire."

* * *

Nike had never been to war before, much less commanded an army. She felt a bit stiff, riding at the head of the front line with Kara, Falaha, and Kitra just behind. Each was in charge of a unit, but only Falaha had any experience. The other two were commanding by virtue of their royal blood.

 _Not much different from myself. This is all so formal, I'd rather just deal with the actual fighting._

"Don't worry, leading an army isn't so hard, Nike," Falaha assured her as she rode up next to her. "As long as you look like you're in charge and don't do anything stupid, you've done your job fine."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel more confident," Nike said.

Falaha shrugged. "It's what I do, and it works fine."

"Uh, how many battles have you fought in exactly?"

"Battles? None. Skirmishes with bandits on the other hand..."

"FALAHA!"

"What? The Sand Kingdom isn't at war with anyone!" Falaha said defensively. "It's not that different!"

Nike groaned.

"Anyway, we don't even know if we'll have to fight," the young general added.

 _Yeah, but I felt much more at ease when I thought you knew what you were doing._

"No choice now but wait to see how it'll turn out," Nike admitted grudgingly.

They could see the other army encamped less than a mile away now.

* * *

"You-Your Majesty...!"

"What?! What is it?!" Livi asked sharply. He had been reading a letter, but Renato's voice sounded so panicked that he all but stuffed it back into his pocket.

"The... The standards!"

"Can you make them out?! Whose are they?" he demanded.

The butler seemed at a loss for words.

"Well?!" Violetta asked.

Renato merely shook her head and handed the spyglass to the captain. Violetta took it and focused it on the oncoming forces.

"What are you talking about, those are the Sand Kingdom's-" she stopped mid sentence.

"What is it?!" Livi asked again. His patience was running out.

"M-milord...! It's... ours! That's our standard!" she stammered, clearly in shock.

"What?!" He snatched the telescope and looked for himself.

Violetta wasn't wrong. He focused on one of the banners carried on the front lines and clearly saw the Sand Kingdom's standard flying next to his own coat of arms, the red lion and the golden sun, embroidered on separate flags. He opened his mouth to demand angrily that someone explain why the enemy was flying the Sun King's standard, but his eye caught something that Violetta seemed to have missed.

It _was_ his standard, it was true, but that wasn't the whole image. Just above the lion and sun was a stylized silver cloud. Short blue lines and a fork of yellow lightning were descending from it.

 _That's not my insignia!_

"Fuck!" he shouted, startling Violetta and Renato with his panicked outburst. "Violetta, tell all the generals to hold their positions! Not a single platoon is to march without my explicit order, understood?!"

 _How did I miss this possibility?! I shouldn't have been so quick to dismiss her presence as a coincidence, no matter how much it rattled me...!_

"What are you saying, milord?! Are you going to let them march right up to us?!"

"Hurry up!" he snarled, his heart pounding in his ears. _She means business, this isn't just any invasion!_

"What's going on?! I don't-" Violetta asked uncertainly.

 _"Hurry, Captain!_ Don't you understand?! That's not my standard! That's Nike's insignia!"

* * *

He was standing at the forefront, just as she had expected him to. With mere feet between them, she raised her arm to signal her troops to stop. She clambered down from her horse and took three steps forward.

The entire field seemed to be holding their breath as the King and Queen of the Sun Kingdom stared each other down. Neither of them spoke, just held each others' gaze.

Then, in what seemed like an eternity, the silence broke.

"M-milady?!"

Nike tore her eyes from Livi's and saw Violetta and Renato standing behind Livi and looking utterly perplexed at seeing their queen alive and commanding an enemy army.

"Silence," Livi ordered his retainers, holding up a hand.

She didn't acknowledge them or Livi's words. She felt rather than heard Kitra, Kara, and Falaha stand behind her defensively.

 _You can do this._

She took a deep breath and straightened her posture. _Shoulders back, like a queen, Nike. Make Neil proud._

"Sun King!" she shouted into the air between them. He looked taken aback at the sudden, impersonal command but quickly regained his composure. She spoke, loudly and clearly, and found that the words came more easily than she'd expected them to.

"Three years ago I had to flee a brutal assassination attempt. Men from the castle came and slaughtered my entire household. Two of my closest friends died to keep me alive, and I only just managed to escape. But enough is enough. I'm done running away, and I'm done letting other people fight my battles!" She drew her rapier and pointed it at him. In response, she heard hundreds of soldiers shout angrily and draw their own weapons.

"Stay out of this!" Livi barked as Violetta rushed forward. "Not a single one of you is to interfere! No matter what happens, this is between me and my wife!" He eyed the blade in front of him uncertainly. "What is it you want, Nike?"

"A fight, Sun King!" she said, real fury coursing through her veins, though she couldn't be sure who it was directed at anymore. "You abandoned me, you left me in exile, and if you didn't order the attack yourself, you at least turned a blind eye when my life was in danger. Your negligence nearly cost me my life... but that's not why I'm here. I'm here because it almost cost me my daughter's life, your own child, and I'm going to find out why if it means I have to rip the truth from you by force!"

As she thought, he had figured it out. His face showed no surprise despite the fact that his entire army was suddenly in an uproar. She shouted over their voices.

"I'm not a woman to be toyed with!" she exclaimed. "I may be your wife, but I will not be cowed into submission. I've told you, I am your equal, not your possession, and you are about to learn that there is nothing, _nothing_ , that can match the fury of a mother whose child is in danger." She raised the sword so it was level with his heart. "Draw your weapon, Sun King! In the name of Nike Remercier, Fourth Princess of the Rain Duchy, Queen of the Sun Kingdom, and Empress of the World, I'll beat you within an inch of your life, one on one!"

* * *

Both armies exploded into a cacophony of noise, but Livi only had eyes for Nike. He couldn't begin to understand what she was thinking.

 _How did we end up here...?! What the heck just happened?!_

He ran through the possible scenarios in his mind but none of them seemed at all likely.

 _Obviously, she's pissed. I don't blame her, but... what is she hoping to gain from a duel right now?! In the middle of a potential battlefield?!_

 _No, I'm the one being weird; she has every right in the world to want to fight me, but why am I just standing here, as if my wife hasn't suddenly reappeared from the dead?!_

"Well? Are you too much of a coward to fight me, Sun King?" she shouted angrily.

 _No, fighting you is just the last thing I want to do right now! I don't want to fight, I just want to make sure you're real...!_

"Answer me!"

He gritted his teeth.

"What do you get out of this, Nike?!"

"You must be _joking_. All I want is the satisfaction of forcing you to your knees and hearing the truth from your own lips, Sun King. I want my country back, my life back, my husband back, if he's still in there, somewhere. But not before I finish beating you to a bloody pulp!"

She was out for blood. _There's nothing I can do to dissuade her at this point. If she can't get me to fight her, she might turn this into a full out war. That's what her army is for._

"Fine!" he replied, drawing his broadsword. "What are your conditions?!"

"If I win, you're mine!"

 _Oh, that doesn't sound bad at a- GET A GRIP LIVIUS, now is NOT the time for bawdy jokes!_

 _But... hold on... maybe..._

 _I guess that means there's nothing for it._

"Then if I win?"

"Do as you will."

* * *

Both armies tried to stop them, but Livi and Nike forbade either side from interfering. Once that was done, they crossed blades and the fight began.

Nike circled around him, feeling slightly nervous; she had always beaten Livi at swordplay before, though that was when he was small and she had a height advantage. Now, she was the one working with the disadvantage. Still, she wasn't going to let him win, even if it meant playing dirty.

It had been Kara's idea to force Livi into a duel. If Nike could best him and claim him as a prisoner in an honorable agreement, then his army would be unable to take him back and a battle could be avoided. It would cut him away from whoever might be pulling the strings and they would finally have the information they were after, but that wasn't the only reason Nike wanted to fight. It was true that she wanted to run to Livi, to hold him close and never let go, but even then she wouldn't be satisfied until she paid him back for all the uncertainty and fear of the last three years. She was determined to vent all her anger and frustration before she inevitably forgave him.

"Hya!" she shouted, trying to catch him off guard as she lunged for his leg. He stepped aside neatly and she had seconds to recover before his sword came down where her shoulder had been.

 _Damn, he's faster._

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and resumed her stance. He was much stronger than before, she could see the muscles in his arms, clearly defined as she tried to hold her ground.

 _I can use that._

She swung and he parried, pushing her back with the combined weight of the swords. She leaned to the right and withdrew suddenly, causing him to fall with his own momentum. He just managed to catch his balance and block the next strike.

"That's- for- leaving!" she shouted, punctuating each word with a furious blow before he could regain his footing. One managed to nick his cheek, and a thin line of blood welled up.

"It's not like I wanted to!" he insisted as he finally pulled back far enough to recover. He tried to wipe the blood away but only managed to smear it across his jaw.

"I don't care what your excuses are," Nike said, gripping the hilt with both hands.

She got in two more blows with the flat end of her blade before he began to fight back in earnest.

 _Stupid brat, he was holding back!_

She dropped to avoid a high handed swing.

 _I need to get an advant-_

His wrist caught her eye. She got an idea.

"What, you thought I wouldn't be angry?" she snarled. "You thought I'd just wait patiently and forgive you as long as you came back eventually?" She feinted to the right and continued to jeer at him. "Did you think I was okay with being sent into exile without an explanation? Or that I'd forgive you for the assassins?"

"I didn't send those assassins!"

"So? You didn't lift a finger to help me either!"

"I didn't know about them! I would never-"

"What, you would never want to hurt me? Just like you would never leave me?"

"I couldn't- I was just trying to protect you!"

 _Good, he's getting worked up._

"Ha! Well that worked out great for you!" she spat viciously, sensing his guilt. "Thank you _so_ much for your bloody protection, Sun King! It did me and your unborn child a _world_ of good!"

Something flickered through his eyes and she saw her chance.

 _There!_

She flicked her sword and hit his wrist with the flat of her blade, hard. He grunted in pain and dropped his sword.

She flung her rapier aside and threw him to the ground with her weight.

"You!" she cried, snatching a handful of his shirt as she pinned him down. He was so shocked that he didn't seem to realize she was shaking him. "You little _bastard!"_ She gave him a heavy slap across the face and heard someone from his army cry out in protest. Kara shouted them down but Nike was too angry, too focused on Livi to make out the words.

"You didn't trust me, you preferred to run away and pretended like you were doing something chivalrous on your own! You told me absolutely nothing about the danger we were in...!" She hit him again, furious tears burning down her cheeks. "What marriage?! What partners?! What was the _point_ of everything we went through if you couldn't even talk to me?! You were trying to protect me?! Don't _fuck with me_!" she shouted, clutching his collar tightly.

"N-Nike..."

"Shut up, SHUT UP! Do you have any _idea_ what it's like, being chased from your home, from the person you love, with nothing but the clothes on your back and a child in your belly?! Do you know what it was like, having to watch my maids, my friends, constantly sacrifice themselves to keep me alive?! You think giving birth was just another day in the sun, that everything was great and beautiful and having a child automatically chased away all my pain?! You think being a mother is easy?!" She shook him even more violently as the tears splashed down onto his face. "That child is _a monster!_ She's terrible, impossible to control, constantly driving me _insane!_ She's a never ending, daily reminder of _everything_ I loved and everything I lost! You think I don't look into her face and see you in it?! You think I'm not reminded every single day that her father is gone, that he doesn't even know we're alive and probably doesn't even care?!"

"That's not true! Of course I care!" he shouted. She punched him with all her might.

"SHUT UP! Every day, _every single bloody day for the last three years,_ I thought about you, wondering if you had really sent those assassins after us, wondering if you were being coerced or if you were suffering all on your own. I had to gather an _army!_ I had to use a spy network! I'm supposed to be your wife, I'm supposed to be the empress of the Sun Kingdom, and _all my news about you was through stealth and hearsay!_ And then, what do I hear?! That you didn't even bother to check if I was alive?! That you're getting remarried?!" She pulled him up as far as he could go, her hands trembling in fury. " _Livius Orvinus Ifriquiya,_ _I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"_

She dropped him mercilessly and with a roar like a wild animal, began to hit every bit of him she could reach.

* * *

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. I should have known it would end up like that," Kara said, handing Nike a wet towel.

"I told you I was going to beat him up," she grunted, holding the cool fabric to her bruised cheek.

"Well, yeah, but I thought you would do that _after_ taking him into custody. We almost lost our chance; his generals and that captain of his were all for calling it foul play. If brother-in-law hadn't insisted that you won fair and square by knocking away his sword, we would have been in an all-out battle."

"I know, but once I had him in front of me, I couldn't stop myself. I started seeing red."

"I'm never getting married," Kara laughed. "You two have officially scared me off."

"Hmph."

"Mama, your face is purple!"

"I know, Thena," Nike said, sighing as the little girl climbed into her lap.

"Did you eat too many grapes?"

"No, not this time."

"Your mama got beat up by a bunch of people who were trying to stop her from beating up your daddy," Kara grinned.

"Really?!"

"Kara-nee, don't tell her that!"

"What? It's true!"

"Kara, please, my head is killing me..."

"Whoops, sorry, brother-in-law."

Nike shot a glare at Livi, who was lying on the bedding on the other side of the tent, obviously the one who had come off worst in the brawl.

"Who the hell said it was okay to put him in _my_ tent?!"

"Deal, sis. He's your husband, not mine."

"Auntie, what's a huzbend?"

Nike groaned. "Kara, can you please take this little demon for a while? I can't handle all this at once."

"Got it. C'mon, Thena, your mama and daddy need some time to talk."

"Are they gonna fight some more?" Athene asked as Kara took her hand and lead her outside.

"Uh, dunno."

Once they were gone, a thick silence filled the air between the couple.

"You really didn't hold back," Livi croaked, trying to smile through a busted lip. It came out as a grimace.

"You're lucky they stopped me when they did," Nike grumbled. "I wasn't anywhere near done."

Silence.

"Nike... I'm sorry."

"Don't. I don't want to hear it."

"That doesn't mean I don't have to say it."

She averted her gaze.

"I never forgot you, Nike."

"Yeah, sure."

"I mean it... None of this was my idea, I promise you."

"Spare me. I don't care."

"If you didn't care, you wouldn't have half-killed me today."

"Hah, use all the pretty words you want, they're still empty." She held up her palm, where the scar of his bite mark was still clearly visible. "You left me with two _lovely_ gifts by the way. I had to fight off a terrible infection thanks to _this_ , and I'm still trying to cope with the other one," she said, pointing outside of the tent, where Thena had gone. "That child took over ten hours of labor to deliver. _Ten_. In a hellish, hot, dark cabin in the middle of the sea. And since she came into my life, I haven't had a single moment of peace."

"I know, I'm sorry," he said quietly. He paused. "Is she really mine?"

"You think I'm lying?!"

"No, it's just kind of shocking, suddenly finding out I have a daughter."

"Well that demon is all yours; take one good look at her and you'll never ask yourself a question that stupid again."

"Yeah, I just wanted to make sure. I'm sorry I couldn't be there when she was born... or to raise her all this time. But, how did you know...?"

"Know what?"

"That I always planned to call our first daughter Athena?"

"I didn't. Athene just seemed to fit, it had nothing to do with you."

"Or maybe it was telepathy."

"Go to hell."

The heavy silence fell again.

"You're not going to ask me why?" he asked.

Nike closed her eyes to avoid looking at him.

"No."

"But you said..."

"I know what I said. And I want to hear it. But not now."

"Nike..."

"What?" she asked irritably.

"No, nothing. Never mind."

"Hmph."

The silence wore on, and all they did was look at each other. Nike got the impression that Livi was drinking in her face, re-memorizing all the details he'd forgotten over the years. She had promised herself that she wouldn't forgive him yet, but the longer she watched him, the longer his eyes quietly held hers, the faster she felt the anger ebbing from her body. It was replaced by longing, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it aloud.

"I'm not dreaming, am I, Nike?"

His voice sounded so small, so unsure. It was like he had gone back to being twelve years old, terrified that she would find out his dark past and leave him. The fearful sound struck right through her heart.

"No, you're not dreaming... Livi."

He blinked at the sound of his name.

"That's the first time today you've actually called my name," he said, smiling slightly.

"I was too angry to use it before," she replied, resting her cheek on her palm.

"Was?"

"Was."

"Then you're not angry anymore?"

"No, I am. But... I think I've torn your face apart enough, for now."

He laughed. It was a warm, welcome sound.

"Livi..."

"Hmm?"

"Can I hold you hand...?"

She felt herself blushing a little, but he just wordlessly extended his hand out to her. She moved over, next to the bedding, and took it.

"Were your hands always this small, princess?"

"My hands are the same, yours are the ones that grew."

"Mm," he agreed, stroking her palm with his thumb. "I'm sorry about this, really," he whispered, tracing the scar he'd left.

"It's... it's okay. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"Honestly, I wasn't in my right mind... I was just so scared, so upset... After I did it I couldn't stop hating myself for it."

"Don't worry about it... But if it's okay with you, I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Alright." He interlaced his fingers with hers. "What do you want to talk about then, Nike?"

"I... I don't know."

"In that case..." He let go of her hand and shifted over to make space for her on the bedding.

Her face burned.

"You're thinking something indecent," he grinned at her expression. It was the same roguish grin she loved so much. "I just wanted to hold you for a while."

"O-oh."

"Well, I won't say no if you _really_ \- ow!"

She hit him over the head lightly.

"You're not laying a finger on me," she warned.

"Ever?!"

"Not for a long, long time."

"Because of Thena, or because of-"

"Both."

"Fine, I can agree to that. But... can I at least hold you?"

"...J-just a little."

He pulled her into the bedding with him and she buried her face in his shoulder, letting his warm, familiar smell overwhelm her. His arms wrapped around her waist and they lay there in absolute silence, just holding on tightly to one another until they drifted off to sleep.


	20. The Eye of the Storm

Cecil was back in the glade.

He'd been dreaming about it a lot lately, but today, when he ran delightedly into the clearing, he found that someone was already there.

"Hello, Cecil."

The little boy hugged his stuffed animal to his chest and merely nodded in response. He didn't know this person.

"No need to be afraid," they said, beckoning him over. "I won't bite, I promise."

"Who?" he asked, still apprehensive.

"Well, I guess there isn't much of a family resemblance, huh... I'm... well, what you'd call your grandmother."

An immediate sense of warning went off in Cecil's head.

"Nuh uh, Gramma red!" he said, furiously shaking his head. This woman looked nothing like the redheaded Lady Dainer. For one, she was taller, and blonde. For another, she was dressed like a ghost, all in white.

The woman chuckled.

"Well, it's true your other grandma has red hair, but she's your mother's mother. I'm your father's mother. My name is Sheila."

Cecil didn't quite understand, but for some reason he felt more at ease when she mentioned his father. He took a step closer.

"Daddy's mama?"

"Yes."

"Why no see?"

"I guess you're too young to understand... But I had to go far, far away."

"Dun get."

"Don't worry about it too much," she said gently, and before he knew it he was standing right before her.

"Why here?" he asked, looking up at her; up close she was very beautiful, but she was still eerie.

"Your sister is helping me see you."

"Thister?"

"Yes, your big sister. She's establishing a link for me."

Cecil frowned. He got the gist, but...

"No thister."

"Oh? But I'm quite sure you've met."

"No thister," he insisted.

"Did she not introduce herself? Oh dear, she _is_ quite the handful..." the woman, Sheila, turned to face the trees behind them. "Athene, dear, will you please come here?"

Nothing happened.

"None," he said.

"Yes, she's being stubborn," she said thoughtfully. "Thena, can you hear me?"

"No!" came a sudden reply.

"See? She's a bit of a rebel," his grandmother said, but she was smiling. "Thena, if you really couldn't hear me, you wouldn't be able to answer."

For a moment Cecil thought nothing else would happen, but then a girl peeked out from behind a tree.

"You!" Cecil shouted, pointing at her. He recognized her as the black-haired girl who had pushed him before. "No like!"

"Hmph, well I don't like you either," she said, sticking her tongue out at him. "Grandma, he's too little!" she complained, still half-hiding behind the tree.

"He's only a year younger than you, Thena."

"Too little!" she repeated. "He can't even play _tag!"_

"Then you can teach him. He's very, very smart. He's your little brother after all," Sheila explained.

"She not thister!" Cecil exclaimed, stamping his foot in annoyance. "Mommy mine!"

"I don't want your mommy," Thena said, sniffing as if he had insulted her. "I have my _own_ mama."

"Not mommy, so not thister!"

"Cecil, dear, you have different mothers, but your father is the same. Thena is also your daddy's child."

" _I_ was first," Thena said smugly.

"No!"

"It's true," Sheila said, crouching down to soothe him. "I know it's a bit hard to accept out of nowhere, but my child, Livi, is Thena's daddy, just like he's your daddy."

Cecil gave the girl another glance. He'd thought so before, but she really did look like his father. Now that he took a closer look, however there was something else about her that he thought he recognized, a certain feeling she gave off...

He thought of the woman he had seen with his father in another dream. They looked completely different, but something about his supposed sister reminded him of that woman.

"...Real thister?" he asked uneasily, looking at his grandmother for confirmation.

"Yes, dear."

"Heh heh, that's right; you have to call me onee-chan now," Thena bragged, hands on her hips in a victory pose.

"Onecha?"

"Dear, he doesn't speak the common tongue."

"Oh, I forgot... uh, onee-chan! It's how we say 'big sister,'" she explained.

"Onee..."

"Onee-chan! You can say 'nee-chan' if it's easier..."

"Neecha?"

"Hmm, close enough," the girl said, satisfied. "Nice to meet you, Cecil. I'm your nee-chan, Athene Nadiya Ifriquiya." She had a bit of trouble pronouncing the name, but she carefully enunciated it the best she could.

"Theen...?"

"Yup, that's me," she grinned.

"Theen-neecha?"

"Uh huh."

"Theen-neecha," he repeated. "Thister," he added grudgingly.

"Good, now that the introductions are out of the way, there's a reason I asked Thena to create this link. There's something important I need to tell you," the woman said, sitting on the grass and beckoning the two children to her. "But before I do, you have to promise not to tell anyone that you met me or anything about what I'm going to say. They won't believe you, and bad people will find out that you know too much. They might hurt you or your mothers. So, promise to keep this a secret."

"I promise," Thena said, dropping down onto the grass next to Sheila.

"Pwomish," Cecil said, sitting next to his sister.

"Good. Now listen, both of you. Your daddy is in danger. If we don't do anything, he'll have to go far away, like I did, and he won't be coming back."

* * *

When she woke up and found that Livi was lying at her side in the late afternoon light, Nike thought that she was dreaming. Then she noticed the bruises and cuts on his face and hands.

 _Those are..._

She reached out to touch his cheek.

 _He's real... he's really..._

She held him close and pressed her face into his chest.

"Mm, Nike?" Her movement had stirred him awake, but she didn't reply. She just wanted to keep holding on.

She felt his hand caress her hair, his fingers gently running through the strands from root to tip. A warm, breathless feeling she had almost forgotten spread through her body.

"You're awake, aren't you?" he asked, his voice low.

"...Mmm."

"Hello there, princess," he said. She could hear the smile in his voice.

"Hullo."

He cupped her cheek, gently stroking her skin with his thumb. His eyes were somehow sad.

"It's kind of hard to believe, even when I can touch you like this... but... you're really here... Really, truly here..."

"I'm really here," she affirmed, holding his hand to her cheek.

"Nike..." He pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face into her hair. "I've been... so lost... I thought I would never see you again..."

"I know... I'm sorry, Livi..."

"No, you're the last person I'd think of blaming; you suffered more than I have. It's just... I was weak... I... I tried to die... more than once. I was... I didn't want to live without you anymore... But even then I couldn't do it. I was too much of a coward..."

She couldn't see his expression, but his voice was thick and she knew he was fighting back tears.

"Livi," she said, closing her eyes and hugging him close. "You're not a coward, or weak. A coward is someone who runs away; a coward would have chosen to die instead of live on in pain. You didn't. That means you're brave, Livi. So, incredibly, brave."

She felt him tremble and knew he really was crying. She couldn't help her own tears from overflowing. _He's all grown up, but his heart is still like a child's..._

"If you had died, you would have left me and Thena all alone," she murmured, pulling away to look him in the eyes. "But you lived, and we found you. _I_ found you, Livi, and I won't lose you again, I promise."

She kissed his forehead and his eyelashes, her lips carrying away the taste of his tears.

"I don't know what I did to deserve this... I know I hurt you so, so much... But, please, Nike, don't go. Don't let me go back to them without you."

She didn't know who "them" was supposed to be, but she was in no mood to find out just now. All that mattered at the moment was Livi.

"I'm not letting you go, you idiot. I crossed the ocean and gathered an army to get you back. Only a fool would give you up after that."

He managed something between a sob and a laugh.

"Then It's a good thing I didn't marry a fool."

"No, but I did," she teased. "A fool through and through. And I love him just as much as I always have."

She didn't need to wait for him to reply; every look, every timid touch... in just the small amount of time they'd been reunited, Livi had managed to express how much he loved her without needing to use the words at all. It was the same now, and Nike understood that she should never have had any reason to worry about his feelings changing.

* * *

Kissing her again after such a long time was intoxicating. The warmth of her body pressed against his, the gentle pressure of her lips... even the slightly earthy smell of her, left over from their fight, felt incredibly seductive.

Livi yearned to stroke her bare skin with his fingertips, to kiss the hollow at her throat and feel her hands wound in his hair. He longed to hear her call his name the way she had, just that once, to feel her lips against his shoulder, her hands running down his back. He wanted to hear her laugh as he found where she was ticklish... He wanted to hear her gasp when he found the places she was sensitive; when he pressed his mouth to them, the sound of her labored breathing sent shivers down his own spine. He wanted to hold her hand tightly as he loved her with all his being, to feel her squeeze his fingers as she kissed him deeply and loved him in return, with everything she was.

Livi wanted to love her like that again, but he wouldn't ever do it without her permission. Timidly, he teased her boundaries a bit, kissing her mouth, her face, her neck... brushing her arms with the back of his hands... tracing a gentle line from her collarbone to her ear with his tongue... but he wouldn't go any further unless she asked him to. He contented himself with being able to feel her heart racing through her skin, with being able to taste her soft lips again, with being able to know she was alive. He tried to pour as much unsaid emotion into every caress as he could, to let her know how much he had missed her, how much he still needed her. It could never be enough to convey the depths of his feelings, but he wanted to try, to help her understand with more than just her thoughts that he loved her, that even though he had betrayed her, it had never been of his own will, and that it had never involved feelings like these.

* * *

"Mama, Daddy!"

"No, princess, not right now! Your parents are-!"

Nike only just managed to push Livi away and hastily fix the collar of her blouse before Athene came dashing into the tent. She knew they were both blushing furiously as the little girl threw herself into her mother's arms.

"Oof, Thena! I've told you not to jump on people like that!" she scolded.

"No!"

"What do you mean no?!"

"I'm so sorry milady, I was trying to keep her busy but she slipped away," Lanra apologized. She was turning red in what was clearly second-hand embarrassment. Livi made a show of clearing his throat.

"Don't worry about it, Lanra," Nike said, unable to catch the maid's eye.

"Come now, princess," Lanra said, tugging at Athene's arm. "Your mama and daddy are... busy. And you still need to finish your studies with Neil, come on."

"No!" Thena wailed, clinging to Nike's clothes for dear life. "I wanna be with Mama!"

Nike felt a shard of guilt pierce her heart; it was true that she had been neglecting Thena lately. With all the planning and preparations that the army required, Nike was constantly needed throughout camp, so it had fallen to her retinue to look after her daughter while she took care of everything.

"Not right now, princess, come on..."

"No, I want my mama! I want my daddy!"

 _I shouldn't have left her alone for so long..._

"Okay, okay, you win, you little demon," she said, giving the girl a bear hug. "I'm sorry for being so busy, Thena. If it's okay with you, Lanra, you can leave her here with me."

"Are you sure, milady?"

"Yes, thank you so much for looking after her all week."

"Of course, Your Highness. I'll take my leave, then. Your Majesty," she said bowing in Livi's direction. "And you, princess, behave. If you don't, I'll send Neil with a _lot_ of books," she warned, and Thena shook her head frantically. The maid chuckled and left.

"Neil is with you?!" Livi asked as soon as she was gone. "I thought he died!"

"No, he and Lanra are the only ones that escaped with me that night..."

"I... see."

An uncomfortable silence fell for a moment. Thena broke it.

"Daddy, carry me," Thena ordered, letting go of Nike and holding out her arms toward her father. He looked at Nike, who nodded. He picked her up and nervously settled her on his lap.

"Hey there, kiddo," he said, just a bit awkwardly. "Er, I guess I owe you an apology."

"'Pology? How come?" she asked cheerfully as she clung to his arm.

"For not believing you when you said I was your daddy."

"Oh. But it's okay, Daddy. I know you were just pretending."

"Huh? You knew he was your daddy already, Thena?" Nike asked, looking just as confused as Livi.

"Yup. Daddy is daddy, after all."

"But, you've never met him before... and I didn't have any portraits to show you."

"Nuh uh, you have a good picture, Mama."

"What, where?!"

"In there," Thena replied, pointing at Nike's face.

"Huh? I don't get it," Livi said, bemused.

"Wait, wait, hold on... Thena, are you saying you can still see things?!"

"Not _anymore_ ," the little girl pouted. "But Mama you thought about daddy a lot before, so I remembered! Now it's all quiet because of these stupid earring things," she complained, tugging at her earlobe.

Nike blushed a little, then reached out and pinched Thena's cheek.

"I told you not to say 'stupid,'" she scolded.

Thena sulked and muttered something under her breath.

"What was that?" Nike asked menacingly.

"I'm pretty sure she just said 'stupid' in the common tongue," Livi grinned. "Clever, clever girl."

"You won't think it's so clever when she's using it against _you_ ," Nike said, giving Thena's hair a reprimanding tug.

"Ha, you're right. But, I'm still confused. What do you mean she can see things?"

"Oh, I guess I haven't explained yet, but this little monster is a practitioner of Amefurashi."

"She can call the rain too, then?"

"Well, not yet. She's learning," Nike said, watching Thena play around with her father's hands. "What she _can_ do is read your mind."

"Wait, you can _do_ that?!"

"I can't, not like this anyway. I can sense some things that other people probably can't... and sometimes I can see dreams, things like that... it's a form of Amefurashi called telepathy; it's related to the hypnotism and other mind techniques that Kara is good at. But grandmother thinks that Thena is particularly powerful. We had to put limiters on her to stop her from manipulating everyone or knowing things she shouldn't."

"That's... honestly kind of terrifying," Livi said, looking slightly shaken.

"It made raising her for the last few years a real pain, if that's what you mean."

"I mean... no... never mind..."

"What is it? You look worried..."

"No, I'm just tired," he said, giving her a small smile.

Nike didn't miss the fact that it didn't reach his eyes.

* * *

He didn't want to worry Nike, but the fact that Thena could read minds sent a shock of fear through his stomach.

 _Thena... if we push for her to be heir and we have no sons... she'll be the Sun Princess and inherit when she marries_ _... But the Sun Priests won't like this in the first place, and if they find out that she can look into people's thoughts, they'll use it as an excuse to disqualify her from the succession, or to persecute her... they might even burn her at the stake for heresy or witchcraft...!_

He looked down at the pretty little girl sitting in his lap. She was like a miniature version of himself, delicate and captivating, but with Nike's bright eyes and free spirit. The thought of her suffering made him ill. He unconsciously hugged her close.

"Wah, Daddy! You're squishing me!" she cried, but she was laughing.

 _No! I know I've only known her for a few hours, but she's still my daughter...! And Nike... Nike will be devastated if Thena is taken from her! This is worse than with Cecil... I can't let them hurt her, I won't lose any more of my family, never again..._

"Livi?" Nike was looking at him, concern etched into her face. "Is everything okay?"

 _Nike..._

"Y-yeah. My head is just hurting a little."

"Livi," she said, cupping his face in her hands firmly. "Don't lie to me. Don't hide things from me. If there's something wrong, I want to think it through with you; I won't be left behind anymore."

He swallowed a lump in his throat.

"O-okay... but..." he lowered his voice and switched to the common tongue, hoping that Athene's knowledge wasn't advanced enough to pick it apart just yet. "Can we speak when we're alone?"

Nike thought about his words for a second and nodded.

"Sorry," he said. "I promise, I'll tell you everything then."

"I'll hold you to it."

"Mama, Daddy, what are you talking about?" Thena whined. She didn't seem to appreciate being left out of the conversation.

"Oh, we're just wondering how best to eat you," Livi said, adopting a casual tone as he switched back to Ílion. "I was asking your mother if you might taste better with some soy sauce."

" _NO!"_ she cried in horror.

"I have to agree," Nike said, grinning as she caught on to Livi's teasing. "Soy sauce is too boring. I say we grill her."

"MAMA, NO!" Thena shrieked as she tried to pull herself out of her father's grip. He held her in place effortlessly.

"Hmm hmm, those soft little arms look like a good place to start," he said, pretending to take a bite off her shoulder. He blew hard against her pudgy flesh, sending the girl into a fit of laughter.

" _NO! IT TICKLES, DADDY, STOP!"_

"No way, I'm not even close to full yet!" he said seriously, tickling her stomach.

" _KYAAA NOOOO! MAMA SAVE ME!"_

But Nike was laughing too hard to reply.

"Nuh uh," Livi said, unable to hide his own smile. "Don't even try to ask your mother for help; I have three years of playing with my child to catch up on, so prepare yourself, princess!"

The sound of their laughter was enough to ease his anxieties, if only for a little while.

* * *

"Nike! We're so sorry we're late, we're finally-"

Princess Luna ripped back the tent flap, only to find her old friend literally howling with mirth on the ground, Livi and a little girl collapsed in a fit of giggles on her back.

"No, no! Stop! Get off!" Nike screamed breathlessly.

"No! Mama has to admit defeat!" the girl cried, tickling her beneath the arms.

"Hahaha, where the heck do you even pick up your vocabulary, Thena?! And just give in already, Nike," Livi snickered; his upper body was clearly being used as a weight to hold down his wife. "It's hopeless trying to get free."

"OFF!" Nike insisted, trying to pull herself out from beneath them and failing miserably. A fresh wave of laughter took hold over all three of them.

"What the hell?!"

"L-Luna!?" Nike and Livi both looked up to find their old friend standing just inside the tent entrance, an incredulous expression on her face.

Livi immediately sat up and lifted the little girl off Nike, looking sheepish as his wife pulled herself up.

"Nike, what in the world is this?! Your letter said we were going to _war. WAR! We just crossed hundred of miles to bring you reinforcements!_ We didn't do all that to find you laughing with Livi in a tent in the middle of nowhere! _I THOUGHT YOU SAID HE WAS MISSING?!_ " she roared, jabbing a finger at the Sun King.

"He _was._.. but... things kind of just happened," Nike winced as Luna glared at her.

"Just _happened?!_ How can you be so carefree after all this time?! And _you_ ," she barked, turning her furious gaze towards Livi. "Where the hell have you _been_ all these years?!"

"It's nice to see you too, Luna," Livi said guiltily.

"Hmph, unfortunately the feeling isn't mutual," she said sharply. "First of all, you both look like you've been beaten over the head with a club. And more importantly, _Livius_ , I have half a mind to flay you alive after what Nike's been through."

"Wait, wait," Nike interjected, alarmed. "I'm the one who did that to him in the first place." She pointed at the ugly bruises.

"I'm not sure that's enough," Luna growled, crossing her arms.

"No, it's fine, I'm telling you it's enough," Nike said firmly.

"...Fine. If you insist. But only because it's you asking, Ni-"

"Luna, you shouldn't run off like that!" came a voice from outside the tent. The flap was opened again and a man in his thirties peeked in. He was a rather dashing, dark haired and tall, with a certain roguish charm about him.

"Sorry to disturb you, Princess Nike, but-" he saw Livi seated on the bedding and frowned.

"Luna, I thought you said we were here to get His Majesty back?"

"That's what I _just_ said," Luna grumbled. "Apparently, _things didn't go as planned._ "

"Fortis, too?!" Livi exclaimed. On the other hand, Nike looked from Fortis to Luna, putting two and two together.

"Wait, Luna! You're sixteen now, aren't you?! Does that mean you're..."

"Married? Yeah." She flashed her ring finger, where a gold band shone. "Sorry for not inviting you, Nike... but in all fairness we thought you were dead until we got your letter- _Hold on, don't change the subject!_ "

"Wait a second, you got married and you didn't invite me?!" Livi cried indignantly. "I thought I was your childhood friend?!"

"Shut up, we thought you let Nike die," she said furiously. "Of course I wasn't going to invite you, you dimwit! Even if she didn't die, you still didn't protect her, you useless jerk!"

"Now now, let's all calm down," Fortis said, motioning for them to take it down a notch as Livi and Luna stared daggers at one another. "The important thing is we're all safe, alive, and His Majesty is back where he belongs, so we can all go home and-"

"Sorry, Fortis," Nike interrupted. "But... I'm afraid we're not done yet. We have Livi now, but he's effectively our prisoner at the moment. We're marching on the capital from here, and we need your forces."

"But... what are we marching against, anyway?!" Luna asked angrily. "You still haven't explained what's going o-"

"Mama, who're they?"

Everyone turned to look at the girl in Livi's lap, whom they had all momentarily forgotten.

"Oh, right," Nike said quickly. "Luna, Fortis, this is my... our... daughter, the one I wrote about."

 _Ah, this is the infamous Sun Princess..._

"So this is Athene, huh?" Luna said looking curiously at the girl. "Yeah, I can see it. She's just like I imagined a child between you two would be like." She caught Thena's eye and gave her a polite nod. "A pleasure to meet you."

Thena returned the nod, reaching out to her mother.

"Mama, she's pretty," she said in a carrying whisper. "But why is she so angry? It's kind of scary..."

Fortis sniggered into his hand. Luna shot him a pointed glare. He immediately straightened his face.

"Ahem. It's a pleasure, little princess," he said, bowing. "Permit me to introduce myself. I am Claude, Marquis of the independent state of Fortis. The, uh, upset lady here is my wife, Princess Luna of the Ocean Kingdom."

"Claude, she's three," Luna rolled her eyes. "She probably didn't get half of what you said."

"Eh, she's pretty sharp," Livi said, lazily resting his chin on the girl's head like a contented cat. "Don't underestimate her ability to know more than she should. I've only known her for about a day and I already know that much."

"A princess?" Thena piped up, ignoring her father's comment. "Like my mama and aunties?"

"Yes, Luna is a princess, but from another country," her mother explained, standing up and dusting her clothes off. "She and Fortis have come a long, long way to help us, so they must be tired." She turned to Luna. "Why don't both of you rest for tonight? Tomorrow we'll gather the generals and decide what our next move will be, so I'll show you where you can camp and get dinner. Is that okay?"

"Alright, that sounds like a plan," Luna sighed. _I_ am _exhausted. I'm still kind of pissed that they didn't need us to get Livi back, but at least they're both safe and they look happy... That's a relief._

"Livi, can you watch after Thena for a bit? I'll be back soon," Nike asked.

"No problem. I'll tire her out for you."

"If you can do that, Livi, I'll never complain about you not growing a beard again."

"Aha, I was wondering when you were going to bring that up," he said, rubbing his clean-shaven cheek. "Well I'd be more satisfied if I can just have a kiss-"

"Okay, okay, enough flirting, we're _tired_ ," Luna complained, cutting him off. Both the king and queen turned pink and Nike held the tent flap open for Fortis and Luna.

"S-see you in a bit, Thena. Behave for your daddy, okay?"

"Okay, mama."

* * *

Cecil was acting a bit oddly. Talea had caught him trying to sneak out of his room that afternoon, an incredible rarity since he was usually so obedient and preferred to stay in his room. When she asked if there was somewhere he wanted to go, he shook his head vehemently, but he wouldn't look her in the eyes.

 _What's gotten into him?_

She took him out into the garden and spent the day with him as usual, but when it was time for his habitual nap, he wouldn't fall asleep.

"Celio, what's wrong?" she asked, using his nickname as he tried to wriggle out of her arms again.

"No sweepy," he said, pouting. "Pway."

"You always take a nap at this time," she said, checking his temperature. It was fine, but his behavior was starting to worry her.

"No, pway," he insisted.

 _What in the world...?_

"Milady, perhaps you should just let him go play a while longer?" Rosalind suggested as she set down a tray of tea on the picnic blanket. "It might tire him out."

"Maybe, but he's never skipped a nap before..."

"He's growing up, Lady Talea. Don't worry too much," her maid said, giving her a kind pat on the shoulder.

"I'll try..." she said, putting Cecil down hesitantly.

"Mommy, gonna pway!" he said, but instead of sitting at her feet like usual, he ran off.

"Cecil, don't go too far!" she called, but she wasn't sure he'd heard her.

Talea nervously watched him go.

 _Father says it's fine if he wanders a bit, but... Maybe I'm just worrying too much..._

She fingered the hilt of the concealed dagger she now carried everywhere she went.

 _I hope I'll never have to use this._


	21. Low Tide

"You have a _what?!"_ Luna screeched, slamming her fist on the low round table.

"Look, I know it sounds bad, but let me explain...!" Livi began.

"Explain _what?! How do you think you can explain away a SON?!"_ Nike cried, shaking uncontrollably in anger. Neil placed a firm hand on her arm to try to calm her.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you!" Livi shouted across the table. "Cecil is just another victim in this whole thing, he's only two-"

" _He's less than a year younger than Thena?! YOU SON OF A BITCH...!"_

She hurled a glass at him, and he only just dodged it.

"Nike, calm _down!_ " Kara yelled. "Would you listen to brother-in-law for just _one_ second...?!"

"I _am_ listening! AND WHAT I HEARD IS THAT WHILE I WAS IN EXILE, WHILE ASSASSINS WERE TRACKING ME DOWN, _HE WAS WITH ANOTHER WOMAN!_ "

"We had _no choice!"_ Livi insisted. "Both Cecil's mother and I were coerced-"

"So, Sun King, you're saying you had absolutely no way to avoid this outcome?" Kitra seethed. "You're sure you're not just trying to make yourself feel better because you betrayed your wife?!" Nike's cousin was almost out of his seat, with his hand on his sword hilt.

"Listen to me! I was _blackmailed,_ you bloody idiot!" Livi shouted.

"Nike, can I kill him?! I promise the Sand Kingdom will still support your claim to the throne when I'm done with this _filth_ ," Falaha hissed.

"The Ocean Kingdom pledges the same," Luna said, her voice icy. Fortis tried to dissuade her but she merely shook him off.

 _Oh gods this is really bad_ , Kara thought. _Everyone is too worked up..._

"Thank you for the offer, Luna, Falaha, but there won't be any need," Nike said, drawing her rapier shakily and pointing it furiously across the table at her husband. "YOU! You unfaithful, lying bastard! _I'll kill you myself!"_

 _"ENOUGH!"_ Kara shouted, putting in just enough hypnotic suggestion to bring down the tension in the tent. "Kitra, Nike, get a grip! I can't say anything for the rest of you, but we are here to _come up with a plan_ , not fight among ourselves! If you can't all grow up for just _ten minutes_ , I'm going to hypnotize you all, and you'll _seriously_ regret it!"

As if they'd all been hit over the head, everyone fell back into their seats as one, looking slightly unfocused. A second later they blinked it off.

"Kara, don't use suggestion like that!" Nike complained. "It's disorienting!"

"Well would you have listened if I hadn't?" Kara rebuked angrily. "All of you are just blindly assigning blame on brother-in-law instead of listening to what he has to say!"

"We're talking about _adultery_ , Kara!" Kitra growled, still glaring at Livius. "This _brat_ promised he would protect Nike, that he'd never make her cry, but look what he's done! There are _no_ excuses! This is an insult, not just to our princess, but to our entire country!"

"Kitra, _shut up_ ," Kara said clearly and forcefully. By magic, he fell silent. "Look, I'm no Thena, but being able to hypnotize people comes with a few perks in the telepathy department," she sighed. "I can't read minds, but I can tell that brother-in-law is being sincere. _He didn't do this on purpose_."

"Kara..." Livi began gratefully.

"That being said," Kara stopped him. "You had better explain _exactly_ why you had no choice, or else I'll have to let Nike have her way with you," she said, narrowing her eyes slightly. "She's still my little sister, Sun King, and if she's not satisfied with your reasoning, then that's a problem between you as man and wife; I'll have nothing to do with it."

Livi nodded, looking rather tired.

"Better get started," she said, crossing her arms.

* * *

Cecil had a job to do. He was afraid, and he wasn't sure if he had understood his instructions all that well. He was, after all, only two years old, and very, very small. His thoughts might be a little mature for his age (his lisp made his thoughts annoying to convey, so he never bothered trying to finish his sentences aloud), but he didn't feel anywhere near as smart as his sister looked. Still, he was more afraid of what Sheila, his grandmother, had warned him about than he was about being caught or hurt, so he gathered his courage and escaped his mother's supervision.

He quietly made his way through the rose bushes and around the side of the castle. He wasn't entirely sure where he was going, but as Sheila had promised, he had a faint, instinctual feel for his destination. He took care not to look too suspicious as he sidled out of his mother's sight.

 _'Kay, have to find the... the bar things._

He set off along the castle wall, plodding along unevenly with his little feet. Sheila had said they would be near the ground, so he kept his eyes on the stones as he went.

A sudden noise startled him and he instinctively flattened himself against the wall.

 _Not scared. Nuh uh,_ he thought, his heart pounding in his throat. _If Thena-neechan can do it, me too!_

He sniffed proudly, but he still clutched his stuffed animal tightly for support as he waited. He almost never went anywhere without it; it was a toy fox his mother had given him a long time ago and she had told him its story many, many times.

 **"Celio,** ** _"_** **she always began, "did you know that you and I are foxes?"**

 **"Boks?"**

 **"Foxes. Just like your toy, see? Little red animals that are very fast, and very smart."**

 **"Not red!" he exclaimed, pointing at his mother's dark hair. She chuckled.**

 **"Yes, I'm not red like grandma. And neither are you. But foxes can come in other colors, too. Everyone in our family is a fox, Cecil."**

 **"Daddy too?"**

 **"No, not daddy. Daddy is... a lion," she said after a small pause. "But my mother and father, and even my sister, all of them are foxes too."**

 **"But not look like boks," he frowned.**

 **"That's because we're foxes in here," she said, pressing a hand over his breast. "Outside, we're just people, but in our hearts, we're foxes."**

 **"What mean?"**

 **"Well, it can mean a lot of things," she said, stroking the toy's velvet ears absently. "Some people, like your grandpa, think that being a fox means you have to be smarter than everyone else. He thinks you can't trust anyone and that you have to hurt people if it means you can win." Her voice became a bit distant.**

 **"No! Hwurt bad!"**

 **"You're right," Talea said, refocusing on her son. "It is bad, and it hurts everyone to think like that, even the person thinking it. I think your grandpa is wrong."**

 **"What mean den?"**

 **"Hmm, well... foxes are tricky and everyone thinks they're selfish. But you know, Celio, foxes have families too, and they want to protect them. Sometimes there's not enough food, and animals might have to fight to eat. If they don't eat, they can't move, and if they can't move, they can't protect their families anymore. To the other animals, it seems selfish that the foxes trick them and steal their food, but to the foxes, sometimes that's the only way to keep feeding their families."**

 **"Sad..."**

 **"Yes, but that's how it is. For a fox, getting food and finding safety for itself and its family is the most important thing. And because they're very smart, they can fight other animals by tricking them, so everyone says they're cheating. But, wolves are very big and have sharp teeth, and bears have huge claws; aren't they cheating too, when they fight like that? The foxes are too small to fight back like that."**

 **"Mm, bad woofs, bad bwers!"**

 **"No, love. They're not bad either. They're just doing what they can to keep on living. It isn't cheating if everyone is cheating; it just means they're all trying their best to survive, in their own ways," Talea said, ruffling his hair gently. "The fox, just like the bear, or the wolf, is trying to protect its family. And to protect its family, it has to protect itself first. So a fox wants to live very, very badly, even if it's hard to find food and other animals hurt them. Sometimes a fox has to fight and hurt too, but not because it wants to hurt anyone. It does it so it, and its family, can live. I think that's what it really means to be a fox."**

 _Y-yeah... foxes fight too,_ Cecil told himself, peeking around the corner to check if the coast was clear. The guards were talking, so they didn't notice a small boy creeping through the shadows nearby.

 _It's scary, but I'm a fox, like Mommy. Have to help Daddy._

* * *

" _Talea Dainer?!"_ Nike cried in disbelief. "You're telling me the mother of your bastard is my own _lady in waiting?!"_

"... Yes, but there's more to it than-"

"Enough." The command was so cold that even Livi fell silent.

Nike pressed the back of her hand to her eyes, trying to get her emotions under control.

 _Talea... why?!_

She tried to recall what she could of the dark-haired courtier. Quiet, kind, and always polite, Talea had never seemed like the type that would scheme or be capable of blackmail. Compared to her far more ambitious peers among the nobility, she was downright docile. In fact, she had hardly even _looked_ at Livi, unlike some of the other ladies in the palace. That a girl like that could betray her...

 _I don't know what to think. Livi keeps saying both he and the child's mother were forced, but... is that even possible? How does he know she's not in on the plan with her father?! Why does he trust her so much?!_

Even as Nike thought it, a deep sense of guilt hit her.

 _No, I may not have known her that long, but Talea isn't a bad person. Whatever happened between them, I can't imagine Talea willingly taking part in it; I know that much. It's just..._

She clenched her fists.

 _The thought of her in his arms... the thought of him kissing her the way he kissed me, or holding her close... I hate it! I can't stand it!_

"Nike-sama..."

She felt Neil's hand cover hers, the way he often did when she was feeling overwhelmed and needed some physical support. She realized she was trembling. She could feel the others' concerned stares, but suddenly she couldn't bear their pitying eyes.

"S-sorry," she said, trying to regain her composure. "I... I need some time to think... alone."

She hurriedly pulled herself from her cushion on the floor and fled the tent before anyone could call after her.

* * *

 _I wonder if Cecil is okay,_ Thena thought as she crawled beneath a sheet in the supply tent. She was currently hiding from Lanra, who was supposed to be watching her while her parents, aunt, and uncle were in a "wahr meet." It had been easy to get away, but now she was thinking about her brother and the task their grandmother had given him.

She had known about Cecil for as long as she could remember; her father had often talked to her about it through the dream link, so even though she had only just met Cecil a few months ago in a shared dream, she had immediately recognized him. On the other hand, Sheila was someone Thena had never even heard about, yet...

She had been a little surprised when Sheila suddenly appeared to her in a dream about a month ago, but for some reason Thena had felt at ease almost immediately in the stranger's presence. There was something familiar about the woman; Sheila vaguely reminded her of her mother. She was kind and always smiling, though she felt more serious and solemn as well. It was immediately clear to Thena that the woman calling herself her grandmother had to be a spirit, and the princess couldn't help but trust her.

 _It's definitely strange,_ she reasoned, staring up at the white canvas sheet as she lay on her back. _I know I'm supposed to be able to see spirits, but Cecil is normal. Even in a dream, he shouldn't be able to see her that clearly..._

Thena bit her lip, thinking hard.

 _I linked her like she asked, but that wasn't for her to talk to Cecil... that was for all three of us to meet at once._ _Is it possible that she can use magic too...? I don't know anything about her, but mama said only people from the Rain Duchy have magic like us... It doesn't make sense... unless..._

"Princess! Where have you gone now, you bloody creature?!"

 _Ack, time to run._

Thena quietly turned over and started to edge her way out of the tent and away from Lanra's voice.

* * *

"Nike!"

The Sun King immediately leapt over the table and hurried after Nike, but Kara had to stop the Ocean Princess and Kitra from following.

"Don't!" she warned. "Leave them alone; it's a matter between husband and wife."

"You must be joking, Kara!" Kitra shouted, pointing outside. "That son of a bitch lost his place as Nike's husband the moment he betrayed her! She has every right to divorce him and leave him after what he's done!"

"Kitra-san! Please, let His Majesty speak with-" Neil pleaded.

"You _shut up!_ " the general shouted angrily. "You're going to defend that bastard?! After everything you've seen?!" He grabbed the chamberlain by the collar and shook him violently. "You saw what he did to Nike! You saw what she had to suffer all these years, alone! She trusted you, and you're still going to take his side?! _I should have known not to trust Sun Kingdom scum like you!"_

"KITRA, LET GO!" The voice was so powerful and commanding that Kitra literally staggered from the heavy suggestion. Kara glared at him with all the conviction of a king. "It's not your place to decide what Nike wants, Kitra. And if you put another finger on Neil, you'll regret it."

Kitra returned the ugly look. "What, you're going to defend this piece of shit and that- that lying adulterer too?! She's your _sister_ , Kara!"

"Exactly!" Kara yelled over him. "She's _my_ sister, and I know better than anyone how much she's suffering right now! I know how much Neil has been through for her, too, so don't you dare think either of us don't want what's best for Nike!"

"Then why are you doing this?!" Luna cried suddenly, her hands slamming on the table. "The last thing Nike needs right now is to see Livi! He'll just make it worse!"

"No, Princess Luna!" Neil shouted. "You mustn't interfere! His Majesty and Nike-sama need this, they have to talk. Her Majesty can only make a decision once they've talked!"

"And when she does, then that's a decision we can accept," Kara said, sighing tiredly. "But until then, we have to be patient and wait. Only brother-in-law can fix things now; they have to talk, even if it's the last time they ever do."

* * *

 _This...?_

Cecil apprehensively got down on his knees to inspect the barred opening at his feet. It wasn't particularly wide, but it was large enough to let him through, if he really tried. He couldn't see a thing behind it.

 _N-not sc-scared! J-just dark, not scary..._

But he was more than a little nervous as he cautiously reached a hand through the bars.

 _G-grandma, sure this is?_ he thought apprehensively. Sheila didn't respond, but he felt a gentle nudge in his thoughts. This was definitely it.

Cecil pulled back his hand and began to search the ground at his feet. A moment later he found a sharp rock just small enough for him to pick up and he scratched a small 'x' on the stones next to the opening.

 _Come back later. Promise._

For now, he had done enough. His mother would be searching for him.

* * *

Livi ran after her as fast as he could. He was older, and his legs longer, but she was still quite fast, and it wasn't until they were nearly out of camp that he managed to grab her wrist.

"Let _go!"_

 _"No!"_ he shouted as he pulled her back desperately. She resisted, trying to break his grip. "Nike, please, don't!"

"Don't _touch_ me!" she cried, her hair billowing in a sudden breeze. He couldn't see her face clearly, but he was sure her cheeks were stained with tears.

"I know you're hurt, Nike-!"

"You don't know _anything!_ " she yelled, and a sudden wind sliced through the back of his hand. He loosened his grip as he gasped in pain and she took the opportunity to break loose.

 _Shit... I shouldn't have said that._

He hesitated for a moment. Somewhere in the back of his mind he vaguely thought that perhaps having Nike be angry at him was for the best. Perhaps it was safer for her to take their daughter and go back to the Duchy and be free of the damned throne for good. Then both she and Thena could live happily for the rest of their lives, but...

 _I know. I know they're safer away from me. I know it's selfish to want to keep them with me. I know that...!_

But while Dainer had successfully beat out much of Livi's fire over the years, while he had essentially reduced the once-powerful Sun King to nothing more than a child with a heavy temper and a not-quite-clever enough mind, the one thing he had never managed to destroy was Livi's devotion to his wife, even when he thought her dead. It hadn't meant much in a world without her, but now, those feelings meant everything.

 _I know I don't deserve her anymore. I've hurt her. I've betrayed her, I left her behind. I got her with child and then disappeared. She has every right to hate me after leaving her and Thena, no matter what the reasons... And Kitra is right, if I wasn't such a coward, maybe I could have done something to prevent this whole disaster from taking place... but it's too late for that now._

 _It's selfish, but even after all that... I... I just don't want to live without her anymore._

"Nike!" He couldn't remember the last time he had run quite so fast, or felt his heart beat so violently in his ears. He hardly noticed the stinging on his hand or the soreness in his limbs from the beating the day before. He forgot everything. Dainer, Talea, even Cecil and Thena. All he could focus on was the familiar figure just ahead, that same, beautiful brown hair whipping behind her as she ran, her feet bare and her anklets clinking as she dashed through the thick grass.

 _She's not the same girl I met, back when she came from the Duchy for the first time. Three years is a long time, no one knows better than me. But even if she's a mother now, even if she hates me... she's still Nike. She's still the only one for me, and I'm done letting the world keep me apart from her._

To lose her again, to return willingly to a life without Nike in it, was worse than anything Dainer could possibly do to him, worse even than dying. The thought of Cecil and Talea's safety worried him, but his son was far too valuable to hurt or kill, and though he felt terrible to admit it, at the moment Talea's suffering was a price he was willing to pay.

Nike was all that mattered, because Livi was certain that if he let her go, this would be the last time he would ever see her again.

He just couldn't let that happen, not even to protect Talea. She would never want him to either.

* * *

Nike didn't know what to think. She didn't _want_ to think, because whenever she let her mind focus, she was consumed by a jealousy so powerful she could hardly recognize herself.

 _For three years... he's been with her for three years...!_

She knew that running was wrong. It was unlike her, and there was a part of her that understood that she and Livi needed to talk, properly. But she couldn't concentrate.

 _In those three years, he's kissed her countless times, held her, loved her, known her in ways I only barely got to experience...! And that child! While Thena and I have been on the run, that child got to know both his mother and father; Livi was always there for him! I hate it!_

 _I...I hate them!_

Her foot caught in a hole, hidden by the grass. Her momentum threw her down the rest of the hill, and Nike only just managed to cover her head with her arms as she went crashing down to land on her stomach.

 _"NIKE!"_

She groaned, her whole body aching from the fall. A second later, Livi slid down next to her.

"Nike, are you okay?!" he asked frantically. He reached his hand toward her but she gave him a vicious glare and he froze in place.

"Go away," she croaked. Just the sight of him was enough to make her blood boil.

"Nike..."

"What, you can't understand Ílion now?! _GO AWAY!_ I don't want to see you, ever again!" she shouted, lifting herself up and stirring the wind menacingly. Sharp pains in her leg and chest made her wince.

A hurt look darkened his eyes. He visibly slackened and wavered as he stood, as if his body no longer had the strength to support him.

"Is... is that really what you want?" he asked, his voice trembling and dangerously low. It caught her off guard.

 _Livi? What happened to his stubbornness?! Where's his passion?!_

"Y-yes!" she said spitefully. She was angrier than ever; did he really think a sad face and teary eyes would be enough to manipulate her into taking him back?! "Leave! Go back to your damned mistress and your bloody bastard! Thena and I don't need you! I don't care what you do anymore!"

He closed his eyes.

"No."

 _"No?!_ What the _fuck_ do you mean _'no?!'"_

"I'm not going back to them. Not without you."

"Go to hell!"

"I'm already there," he said, sitting down at her side. "I've been in hell every day of my life since I left your side."

"If you really think pretty words-"

"They're not pretty words. There's nothing pretty about a world without you in it. Look, Nike... just... if you ever really loved me, let me at least finish telling you everything. I owe it to you to tell you the truth."

He looked so sincere that she couldn't lash out like she so desperately wanted to. _I hate him... I hate that he can do this to me... it isn't fair!_

"...Fine. Just... get it over with."

* * *

"Cecil!" Talea called, a note of panic threatening to overtake her voice as she searched through the rosebushes. Her little boy had been gone for over an hour now.

"Milady, perhaps he went off toward the forest..." Rosalind suggested timidly.

"No, he knows better than to go there," Talea said, nervously running a hand through her hair as she gave the garden another look. "Cecil! Where are you, Celio?"

An unbidden image came to her, of her son, tiny and helpless, lying bloodied and broken, his beautiful brown eyes glassy and empty.

 _No! He's fine, he's okay! Father promised it was safe to let him play out here; he would never risk Cecil's safety, all the guards in the area are loyal Dainer men and women, we made sure of it!_

 _"Cecil!"_ she called again, more urgently.

"Milady, there he is!"

Talea whirled around to see the little boy tottering over from the direction of the castle. He looked tired and was rubbing his eyes.

"Mommy, call Sheshil?" he asked in his high, sweet voice. Talea rushed over.

"Celio! Are you okay?! Where have you been?!"

Cecil yawned, but when he answered, he didn't quite meet her eyes. It unnerved her a little.

"Fell sweep over dere," he said, pointing at the area behind him. "Pway lots, but sweep too." He caught her gaze and immediately looked away, and she saw him fidget slightly.

 _He... is he lying...? But... why?_

"I... see..." she said, frowning. "Did you go somewhere else, sweetheart?"

He shook his head frantically.

"No, mommy, Sheshil stay."

She was far from reassured, but seeing him safe again was enough for her; at least, for the moment.

* * *

"Neither Talea nor I asked for this. In retrospect, there's so much we could have done to get out of that bloody mansion, I know. But it's not easy... living under that kind of threat."

 _As if I didn't know,_ Nike thought savagely, but she didn't interrupt.

"I don't want you to forgive me... to forgive us. It's not something we deserve to be forgiven about," Livi sighed, staring off at the plains in the distance. "I just want you to know the truth."

"What you claim is the truth, anyway," she muttered.

"Fair enough. You don't have to believe me... but, what I said before is true. I don't want our marriage to end like this, Nike. Please, understand..."

"Understand?! You want me to just... forget about all of this?! Do you just want me to go back with you and live happily ever after like nothing happened?! What, am I supposed to be an _understanding_ wife and allow you to take a concubine after all?!" she cried, hiding her face in her hands. All her disappointment and anger seemed to be pouring out of her with her tears. "I hate you, I hate all of you! You promised me, Livi! After Cassandra, you promised you'd never have another woman in your whole life!"

"I know what I promised! And I'm sorry, I never meant to break it... But I did. There's no excuse for that," he pleaded, taking one of her hands. "Nike, please look at me. Please."

She shook her head and kept her eyes forward.

"I don't love Talea. Not like this. She's my friend, and through Cecil, she's like my family as well, as much as I wish she weren't. But I never loved her, and she's never loved me. We've both always loved the same woman, and we were willing to die for her. I still am. We've always loved you, Nike, really. I've never stopped." He kissed her palm gently, and she didn't pull away.

"Stop it... your words don't mean anything," she snapped.

"Then... let me prove it to you. Come home with me. Help me reclaim Ginitarix from Dainer's control. Help me protect Thena and Cecil. And if, after all that you still hate me, you can decide what you want to do. Whatever it is you want to do."

"Even if I decide I never want to see you again?"

"Yes... even if you decide to take Thena and never return."

"Then... I'll hold you to that. If you break it, I swear I'll run you through myself," she said coldly as she pulled herself up. She dusted off her skirt and walked back toward camp, not once looking back at her husband's forlorn expression.


	22. Casting Off

"Milord, I'm afraid I have bad news..."

"What is it now, Grey?"

"I-it seems that His Majesty has been taken captive, sir."

Lord Dainer paused in the middle of his letter and looked up.

"His Majesty has... what?"

"Been taken captive, sir... by the unknown forces at our border. Captain Rootwick just sent us an urgent message by carrier pigeon from the front lines, but we don't know anything about how they managed to take His Majesty or who they even are. The Captain was unable to identify the enemy, or so she claims."

"That woman... she's holding back information," he growled. "Probably wants to cover up some stupid blunder; she always was bloody proud."

"Should I kill the girl, milord? Or perhaps it might be more efficient to take the Captain out herself; she hasn't proven quite as valuable of late."

Dainer tapped his quill on his desk thoughtfully for a moment. "No, not yet. Perhaps things might still work out in our favor, and the woman might still prove useful." He paused. "There's a more urgent mark, but the time isn't right just yet. For now, fetch my daughter to my office; I need to have a word with her."

The servant bowed and made to leave the room.

"Oh, and Grey? Do tell your father that we'll be needing his help sooner than expected."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Thena didn't need telepathy to know that something was wrong between her mother and father when they returned from the meeting. For one thing, Nike wouldn't so much as look at Livi all through dinner, and when it was time for bed, her mother pulled her out of their tent and toward Kara's across the way.

"I don't get it, auntie," Thena sulked as she held a silk cushion to her chest. "This morning Mama and Daddy were happy and now Daddy is sad and Mama looks like she wants to hit him."

"That's probably because your Daddy _is_ sad and your Mama _does_ want to hit him, honey," Kara replied, reclined on her bedding and repressing a yawn.

"How come? I thought they were happy to be together again!" Thena threw herself back onto the cushions and sighed. "Sometimes I don't get Mama."

"Don't be so hard on her, kiddo. She just found out some difficult stuff about your Daddy; it's not easy to accept that sort of thing so quickly."

"Did she find out that he keeps shaving his beard even though she likes them?"

"Uh, not quite. Wait, does he really do that?"

"Mm, he does it on purpose to "spit" her."

"'Spite', honey," Kara corrected.

"Yeah, that," Thena said, pouting. "But I thought it was funny..."

"Of course _you_ would, princess," Lanra muttered as she darned a hole in Thena's socks.

"Wait, has he been doing that even though he thought she was dead?"

"Mm, that's what Daddy said. He said it's a "rabbit" and he's been doing it since before they got marr-"

"OKAY, that is not something we're _ever_ telling mama, okay?" Kara hurriedly cut off Thena's sentence.

"But why?!" Thena whined.

"Do you want your mother to be even angrier at His Highness?" Lanra asked.

"No," the girl sighed. "Mama's always so angry. She should just hug daddy lots, like she really wants to."

"Like _who_ wants to?" Nike asked pointedly as she swept the tent opening aside. "You should be asleep, Thena."

"Don't wanna."

"You little..."

"No need to take your anger out on Thena," Kara whispered as Nike sat moodily on the cushions. "For once she doesn't deserve it; she's not used to falling asleep without you. And she's having a hard time with you and brother-in-law fighting... Can't you just-?"

" _No_ , Kara-nee. I'm not doing it."

"Mama..."

"Oh for the love of-! Why do you have to be so _stubborn?!"_ Kara hissed.

" _Me?!_ I have every right-"

"Mama..."

"You're acting like a child! Since when did you get this petty?! This isn't the sister I know, and she's certainly not the mom Thena needs right now!"

" _WHAT?! You're saying I'm overreacting?!"_

 _"Maybe I am!"_

 _"MAMA!"_

A sharp wind suddenly filled the air in the tent. Kara and Nike looked up from their argument to see Thena standing over them, looking hurt.

"Princess!" Lanra called hastily. Thena ignored her.

"I'm going to sleep with daddy."

She didn't wait for anyone to reply. The lamps flickered as she left.

* * *

"Wow, what a pretty tower you've drawn, Cecil!"

"Shh," Cecil frowned, looking at his drawing critically. "Mishing."

Rosalind crouched down at the table to inspect his work.

"Maybe you forgot to draw the windows, here," she pointed at the base of the rough tower, but he shook his head.

"None dere."

"No windows? But how will the people see outside?"

"None dere," he repeated, pointing higher up the structure, where a childish square indicated a window. "Here."

"Ah, I see," Rosalind said, taking a seat at his side. _Oddly specific._ "Is this a tower you know, Cecil?"

"Mm," he said, picking out a yellowish crayon.

"Did milady read you a book with a tower in it?"

He shook his head.

"One you've seen?"

He shook his head again and continued to color in the drawing. The maid frowned. The little master seemed oddly focused on his drawing, almost like he was drawing from memory.

 _He's not much of an outside child... where could he have gotten the inspiration for this?_

As she watched, he began to hum to himself cheerfully as he worked. It wasn't a song she recognized, but it felt oddly soothing.

 _Perhaps I'm just overthinking things and he's drawing from imagination._

"Oh!" he dropped his crayon and picked out a darker one. "Sheshil wemember!" With a childish flourish, he drew two clumsy figures standing just outside the tower, holding hands. The taller of the two he crowned with messy yellow hair, and the smaller one with black.

* * *

"Good evening, Father."

"Take a seat, Talea." She tried not to show how nervous she was as she sat across from her father at his desk. She felt like a child again, waiting for the beating that was inevitably coming.

Dainer gave his daughter a critical eye and Talea had to fight the urge not to flinch.

"I have bad news," he said abruptly. Her heart leapt into her throat.

"Is it about Livi?! Is he alright?! Did he get hurt-?"

"Be quiet!" he barked. "Don't interrupt me, Talea."

"I apologize, Father." Her conditioned response was as nervous as ever. It had been some time since her father had last beaten her, but even at nineteen and with a child, Talea couldn't help but feel like she was dealing with a keg of gunpowder, volatile and dangerous.

"His Majesty has been captured by enemy forces," he stated with all the concern of a bored butler. "We know nothing of his whereabouts or his current situation or-"

 _"Captured?!_ By whom?! Have you sent help-?!"

 _"Silence!"_ He narrowed his eyes at her. "Interrupt me again and you _will_ regret it, girl."

She bit the inside of her cheek, hard.

"His Majesty's disappearance has made Cecil's position precarious. If we can't get him back alive, there will be no one to confirm that Cecil is his child. And if the boy is not legitimized..." The unspoken words lingered in the air between father and daughter.

"Father, without Livi, he'll be killed!" she whispered, horrified.

"You think I haven't realized that, foolish girl!? We have enemies everywhere at court; the child is in little danger while our people are in power, but without His Majesty we won't have that claim long. We have to legitimize him. Immediately."

"How-"

"Use your brain, you bloody idiot! His seal! His Majesty's seal! We need his seal to fabricate documents-"

"Wait! You're not going to help Livi?!" Talea stood up, outraged. "He's the king! Your liege and the father of your grandchild! We can't _abandon_ him!"

"Help him? The fool walked into the trap on his own!" Dainer spat angrily. "I've sent an inquiry to find out more-"

"An _inquiry?!_ What about soldiers?! We should be preparing for war, not sitting around waiting for news in the palace! We have to get him back!" She was so shaken she hardly registered the warning signs.

A heavy blow crashed into the side of her face, knocking her to the ground. He'd smashed his inkstone into her cheek, and from the feel of it, he may have even broken her jaw.

She made a strangled noise of pain but Dainer ignored it.

"How dare you speak back to me?! How I decide to deal with this matter is none of your concern! You _will_ find that seal! I know you and His Majesty are close; if he's told anyone where he keeps it, it's you. If he hasn't, you should have some idea. Find it, girl, or Cecil pays the price for your disobedience. You have one week."

He didn't need to elaborate on what sort of price his two year old grandson would be required to pay. As she tried not to whimper or bloody the expensive carpet, Talea knew better than anyone just how much pain a child could endure without dying.

* * *

"You two are driving me crazy," Kara sighed. "The worst part is, you're not fooling anyone, Nike. You're not going to leave."

"...Shut up, I don't want anything to do with him anymore."

"Liar."

The two sisters were stretched out on the bedding on opposite ends, like when they were children. Lanra had already fallen asleep on the other side of the tent, tired out from looking after Athene all day.

"I'm tired of everyone telling me what I want! I _know_ what I want, and I _don't_ want to see Livi's stupid face again!" Nike said, crossing her arms and turning away from Kara.

"Well _I'm_ tired of my sister being angry all the time. And I'm tired of hearing her lie to herself; you already knew brother-in-law was getting remarried when you decided to come take him back!"

"Remarriage is not the same thing!" Nike hissed. "He's had a child with her!"

"He thought you were dead!"

"So?! He'd been with her _before_ I had to flee Ginitarix!"

"Because he was being _coerced!_ They were threatening to kill you!"

"So he says."

"You're _impossible,_ Nike!" Kara groaned, messing her short hair up in a gesture of exasperation. "Obviously he had a right to feel pressured, because _you had to flee! For your life!"_

"I escaped fine on my own!"

" _Never_ say that to Lanra and Neil," Kara warned, her voice cold. Nike knew she had crossed a line and she felt some of the anger melt away at the thought of Sunya and Mikia.

"I... I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Don't apologize to me."

"I know..."

There was a painful silence.

"Look, Nike, I know it hurts to find out that brother-in-law has a lover. And it hurts even more that they have a child. I may not be married, I may not love anyone that deeply, but I can see how much you're suffering. I've always been able to tell how much pain you're in." She reached to touch Nike's fingertips gently. "But... I think you're letting your anger stop you from seeing things the way he does. I can't read his mind, but I know he deeply regrets everything that's happened. And he's not lying, I'm pretty sure about it."

"Kara-nee..."

"I know you too, sis. And I know you're not really as mad as you're acting. You just don't know how to talk about it with him, and you know you have to."

"...You've always been the weirdly sensitive one, Kara-nee," Nike sighed.

"Not at all, that's usually you. But since you've had Thena, you've had a lot on your mind. You've been a single mother for three years, you've been an empress in exile, and you've been a betrayed wife. I think it's time for you to be a girl again, Nike."

"I'm in my twenties, Kara-nee."

"So? There's no reason that being a mother or a wife should make you unhappy, unless you let it. As for being a queen, that will always be hard, but it's the life you chose for yourself when you agreed to marry the Sun King. Forget about all the difficult things and just let yourself be happy. Really, truly happy. Be the lovesick girl you've been repressing in your heart. Be the honest girl who loves and enjoys life again. That doesn't, and never will, make you any less of a great woman."

* * *

"Daddy..."

"Hmm?"

"What is mama mad about?"

Livi winced at the sudden inquiry, but Thena was curled up in the crook of his arm, her little chin on his chest, and her big green eyes just blinked at him innocently.

 _Too innocently. I don't trust this child, she's far too smart._

"That's a long story, Thena, and it's kind of late. We're leaving camp tomorrow so we have to wake up early, remember?" he said in his best nonchalant tone.

"Ya, but mama said we're going to go back to the Duchy without you, Daddy. I hate it." He saw her tug at her earrings half-heartedly. "I wish I could just _hear_ so I could get why everyone is mad," she whined.

 _I'm glad you can't, kiddo_ , Livi thought as he pulled the small girl into a one-armed hug. _For more than one reason_.

"Not everyone is mad. Sometimes adults just mess up," he sighed. "Really badly. Nike thinks I lied to her because of... well, it's not important," he said.

"But you didn't lie, right Daddy? Tell Mama! Then we can be happy and go home together."

"It's not that simple, Thena..."

"Then you _did_ lie?!"

"Yes... and no."

Thena groaned.

"Adults are stupid. Lanra says you all make everything so 'compulcated,'" she muttered. Livi laughed despite himself.

"Complicated, huh? I guess so. But it's not as easy as saying I'm sorry and telling her I love her."

"Why not? It works when I do it," she said eagerly. "You should try."

 _Way ahead of you there, Thena. Way, way ahead._

"If that was the solution, your mama would be here too, silly. I already apologized and she still hates me."

"Then do it again, Daddy. I can't hear her anymore like before, but she definitely loves you lots."

"Mm, that's exactly why she's so upset now. But, you're right," he agreed as Thena gave a loud yawn. "I'm not letting you or your mama go, okay, Thena? That's a promise."

"Okay, Daddy."

"Good night, princess." He kissed her forehead and turned the lamp down. "I love you."

"Love you too, Daddy. Night," she muttered, snuggling into him. Within seconds her breathing evened out. Livi pressed his cheek into her thick black hair and sighed.

 _Two children. Hardly older than babies, and already much, much braver and wiser than me._

* * *

The camp was bustling long before the sun came up. Soldiers in livery from four different countries ran back and forth across the plains, shouting advice and commands to one another as they worked. One by one, each tent came down in a flurry of poles and material, and the small city of canvas on the outskirts of Uldyne disappeared overnight. It was replaced by an army, a marching army, numbering in the thousands. Everywhere one looked, there were horses being saddled, their packs bursting with supplies. Carts were being loaded with provisions, weapons, gunpowder, whatever wouldn't fit in saddlebags. Fires were extinguished, breakfast was distributed, and swords were sharpened. Bows were strung, spears maintained. Four sets of standards were unfurled and placed at the front of each platoon. Queen Nike, her "captive" husband, and her generals oversaw the preparations and by noon, they were ready to march.

Of all of Nike's retainers, only Lanra remained of the original four. Mikia and Sunya were gone, and Erika had been left behind at the palace. Neil was fervently loyal to her princess, but he was also His Majesty's man and was preoccupied with the plans for the siege of the capital. So as the army set out, it was only Lanra who remembered Sunya and Mikia's last words as she watched her king ride up to his wife's side. It was only Lanra who saw him hold out a small bunch of wildflowers toward her, and only Lanra who saw her hesitate before accepting them.

Only Lanra caught the small, reluctant smile on her princess' lips as Livius commented on something inconsequential and they managed to keep up a polite conversation.

 _Princess, we've only ever wanted you to be happy. I'm praying that Sunya and Mikia can see this._

A sudden movement startled her, and she looked down to see Princess Athene staring up at her from where she sat on Lanra's saddle.

"Lanra, why are you crying?" she asked.

"No reason, princess," she said hastily. "Look, isn't the plain beautiful today? Lots of flowers blooming this time of year."

"Mm," Thena said, but Lanra knew the girl was too smart to be dissuaded that easily.

 _May the Sun God give me the strength to deal with this child again today. And... may whatever awaits us in Ginitarix be good for our estranged King and Queen._


	23. A Gray Mist

Miraculously, Talea's jaw hadn't been broken, though it had been dislocated and hurt immensely. The royal doctor asked a lot of questions as he treated the terrible swelling on her cheek, but she was too experienced in covering up her father's abuse to cause him much alarm. A few lies and several applications of a soothing medicinal poultice later and she was free to leave the infirmary, the doctor and his assistants under the impression that she was a terrible clutz and had tripped straight into a desk.

 _Why do I always cover up for Father...?_ she asked herself as she walked listlessly down the corridor, clutching an iced towel to her cheek. At home, it wasn't like her mother didn't know what was happening, but she didn't want to hear the details either. She always pretended like Laia and Talea had hurt themselves deliberately.

She stared absentmindedly out one of the windows in the hall and slowed to a stop as something caught her eye. Out in the garden, a visiting nobleman was carrying his little daughter on his shoulders and they were both laughing. Talea felt a familiar pain deep within her chest as she watched them walk out of view.

Laia had once told her that before Talea was born and for a couple of years after, Lord Dainer had been a fairly normal father to his children. He wasn't particularly affectionate, but he would still occasionally play with his girls and treat them kindly. It was only after Talea got a bit older that he grew distant and the beatings began, but she was too young to remember anything different.

 _Was I so unloveable, Father?_ she thought bitterly. _You were always harder on me than on Laia. And you spared her this. You sent her off to find a life of her own, you gave her the wings to escape. Why not me? I know she was brighter than me... prettier, like mother, and she was better than me at our studies... But I tried... I tried so hard._

She felt tears gather at the corner of her eyes and she took a deep breath to try to stabilize herself as another sharp pain flashed through her jaw.

 _I tried so hard to be the perfect daughter... but all it got me was hell. I can't let that happen to my baby._

At the thought of Cecil, her heart hurt so badly that she thought she might faint. It was enough to steel her resolve.

 _I'm sorry, Livi. I have to protect my son._

* * *

"Your Majesty, I apologize, but I can't accompany you back to the city."

Since the duel, Violetta had been on standby in Uldyne with her troops. Many of her soldiers had actually deserted to Nike's camp over the last few days; they were overjoyed to see their supposedly long-dead queen alive and well. Violetta, however, wasn't free to act, especially with so many potential spies in the ranks. Against her loyalties, she had to return to Ginitarix and warn the Earl of the impending attack or risk her sister's life.

Before what was left of the troops set off for the capital, she had snuck out of the inn and made her way to the queen's encampment in the darkness of the early morning. The bustling activity of the soldiers taking down the camp was more than enough cover for her to get through the area unnoticed, and she found the King barking orders at his subordinates easily enough.

"I know, Violetta. You have to do what's best for your family, and I have to do what's best for mine," Livi had said, his eyes following Nike, who was inspecting some of the preparations just ahead. "Don't worry, I understand why you're doing this. Just make sure none of your men see you," he added pointedly, gesturing vaguely at Violetta's hood.

"Of course," she nodded. "But, take care, Your Majesty. Some of the men who deserted to Her Majesty's side may be spies for the Earl. I will do my best to protect your son if that's the case, but I can't promise that Dainer doesn't already know who is leading this army and what your role really is in it. Watch your back. And theirs," she said. She didn't need to explain who she meant as she disappeared into the crowd of soldiers.

* * *

Grey stopped writing, distracted by a sudden noise outside the door. It sounded like a scuffle, as if someone were standing outside the door, listening. Grey stayed silent for a moment and clearly heard the sound again.

 _Whoever thinks they can spy while making that much noise is a fool._

Without making so much as a creak, Grey walked to the door and pulled it open. A startled child tumbled forward, a dingy stuffed animal cushioning his fall.

"You!"

Cecil looked up, obviously frightened at being caught by such a stern-looking adult.

"What are you doing here, child?" Grey asked, trying not to sound angry. It wouldn't do to upset the boy too much; Grey hated the sound of children crying, and it was against the Earl's orders to harm Cecil in any way.

"P-pwaying," he stuttered, avoiding eye contact.

 _What a terrible liar_.

"Right outside my door?"

"B-bug! Sheshil found bug! Try to ketch." He stood up, sounding more confident.

Grey stared at him. The child was certainly dirty enough to have been playing on the ground; his clothes were covered in dust and his nose was smudged. His hair had the traces of a cobweb in it, and Grey had to wonder just how incompetent a mother or nursemaid the boy must have had to be allowed to roam the castle on his own. Didn't they know how many enemies the Dainer family had here?

"Where's your mother?"

"Mommy talk to granpa. Not back." Was it just a trick of the imagination, or was the child becoming more defiant the longer the conversation went on?

"Then-" Grey was interrupted by the sound of someone running frantically down the hall.

 _"Cecil!_ So this is where you ran off to!" A red-haired girl of about twenty bowed hastily in Grey's direction as she skidded to a stop in front of the office. Grey recognized the pretty round face and wide blue eyes as belonging to Talea's handmaid of choice.

"Rosalind, keep a better eye on him," Grey barked, annoyed. "You should know better than to let him run around unsupervised."

"Y-yes, it was a momentary oversight," she replied nervously, bowing again. She bent down to pick up the little boy, and he obediently wrapped his chubby arms around her neck. "I'll scold him, my apologies for interrupting your work."

"Don't let it happen again," Grey frowned. The maid gave one last half-bow and began walking down the hall. Just before they turned the corner, Cecil's little head turned to face back toward Grey's office and their eyes met for a moment.

For some reason, in that brief second, those eyes didn't quite feel like the innocent eyes of a child.

* * *

 **The boy stared with incredible focus at the baker's stall, waiting for the inevitable moment when the woman would turn away to face a customer.**

 _ **Just a little longer,**_ _ **just a bit more and I can make the pain**_ _ **stop.**_

 **Stomach pain was the bane of an orphan; day in and day out, an insatiable ache gnawed through a child's stomach until they couldn't take it and began to eat whatever they had on hand. Leather from worn shoes, trash in the streets, anything they managed to bite through. Most died, if not from the pure hunger, then at least from eating something they shouldn't and becoming gravely ill.**

 **The boy refused to die a miserable existence like that. Like most orphans who made it to adulthood, he learned to steal to survive; the boy just happened to be a bit of a natural at it. His small frame and forgettable presence made it easy to slip in and out of crowds without attracting too much attention. He learned to watch and wait, to avoid being impulsive, and to control his hunger. He was proud of his skills.**

 **As he watched, a middle aged man approached the stall and began to point out what he wanted from the baker's assortment of fresh goods. The boy saw his chance.**

 **Sticking to the shadows, he quickly moved in behind the stall; the woman was busily packaging up the man's order and the man was watching her work with a rather displeased look on his face.**

 _ **Obviously a**_ _ **noble,**_ **the boy thought with dislike. The man had dark hair and eyes and from the look of his perfect coat, more money than he knew what to do with. But the boy wasn't interested in money just now; he wanted bread.**

 **Quietly, he edged into the stall, making sure it was as far from the baker and her customer as possible. He snatched a loaf and prepared to run.**

 **"Caught ya, you stinkin' thief!"**

 **A large, rough hand grabbed onto the boy's wrist tightly and pulled him up. Yelping in pain, he dropped his precious loaf and saw that he had been caught by a large, burly man wearing an apron. The baker's husband had returned to the stall just in time to catch the boy in the act.**

 **"What in the- how did you get back here?!" the baker shouted, dropping her current order. The customer stared at the scene with mild interest.**

 **"Let go!" the boy cried, but of course his plea was ignored.**

 **"Stealin's aginst the law," the baker's husband growled. "If yer hungry, ask. Ain't no place for filthy thieves in Ginitarix. Yer lucky yer only a kid, ya'd lose an arm for theft if ya weren't." To drive the point home, the man made to grab the boy's other arm, but something he saw stopped him.**

 **"Ugh, just what we needed! Kid's got a bloody Eclipse!" he groaned, pointing the tattoo out to his wife. On the boy's left shoulder blade, resilient against his light skin, the black mark of an eclipsed sun marked him as the child of a disgraced Sun Priest, those who should have given up all worldly attachment but fell into sin.**

 **"Get him out, now," the woman said suddenly, her voice cold. "The Eclipse brings nothing but misfortune."**

 **The baker's husband picked the struggling boy up and began to haul him out of the stall when someone stopped him.**

 **"Wait."**

 **The customer had come around to take a closer look at the situation.**

 **"May I see that tattoo?" he asked. The baker and her husband shared a confused look.**

 **"Sir, it's bad luck-"**

 **"I'm not superstitious," the man said sharply. "Show it to me." Both the baker and her husband gave the man a respectful nod and the boy was set down in front of the nobleman, the baker's husband still holding onto his arm tightly.**

 **The nobleman gripped the boy's shoulder and coldly examined the mark. He scratched at it to make sure it wasn't painted on, and satisfied that it was real, took the boy's chin and studied his face carefully for a minute. The boy grimaced and contemplated spitting into his face, but something about the man's dark eyes stopped him. They were the eyes of someone who shouldn't be crossed.**

 **"What's your name, child?" he asked suddenly.**

 **"Don't have one," the boy muttered.**

 **"Your parents?"**

 **"If I 'ad parents I wouldn't be stealing," he answered defiantly. The man nodded thoughtfully, then turned to face the baker.**

 **"If you don't mind, I'll be taking this child."**

 **"Eh?" A sudden look of suspicion crossed the woman's face. Clearly she had an idea of why noblemen might want a child off the streets. Her husband simply looked puzzled.**

 **"Why would ya want an Eclipsed kid? They're bad news, they are."**

 **"I know of a man who has been searching for his child," the man said, standing up and dusting off his clothes. "The mother had her child branded, but the father had no intention of abandoning them. It was done without his consent."**

 **The baker and her husband shared an uneasy look.**

 **"How do you know this is the child, if you don't mind me asking, sir?" the woman asked.**

 **"Because I clearly see the** ** _family_** **resemblance," the man said, noting the boy's black hair and equally black eyes. "If you don't mind, I'd like to take the child to meet this man."**

 **The woman sighed. "It's none of my business what happens to this creature," she said. "He's bad luck, mark my words, sir. You'd be better off leaving him well off alone."**

 **"Nonsense," he said, taking the child's arm. "The House of Ferana doesn't need luck. We create our own." He stood up and addressed the child, who looked less than pleased to be handed off to this cold nobleman. "If you have no name, we'll call you Grey. It was the name your father would have given you anyway."**

 **"I 'ave no father," the boy said stubbornly.**

 **"You do now," the nobleman said simply, and dragged him away.**

* * *

Thena slumped back into Lanra's stomach, bored out of her mind as the horse clopped along slowly. It was always like this when they traveled, but before Uldyne, Thena had at least been allowed to ride with Nike unless her mother was busy. Now, however, her mother's attention was taken up by all sorts of minor annoyances that came with leading an army, and for her sanity's sake, Lanra had volunteered to watch over the princess for the march across the plains.

"Lanra, I wanna ride by myself," she ordered, but Lanra merely rolled her eyes.

"Princess, you don't even know how to ride a horse. You're too young."

"That's not true! I can so ride a dumb horse! Look!" she pointed at the horse beneath them. Lanra sighed.

"Riding a horse doesn't just mean riding _on_ a horse, princess."

"I wanna ride by myself!" she repeated in her most imperious tone.

"No." Lanra's voice was so final that even Thena knew it would be useless to keep badgering her.

"Then I wanna ride with Mama," she said, changing her strategy.

"Her Highness is busy."

"I won't bother Mama," she pleaded, but Lanra merely raised her eyebrow in disbelief.

"I'll believe that when you grow wings, child."

Thena frowned in annoyance. _I would grow them if I could, then I could fly away from this stupid horse and your stupid boring lectures._

"Hey Lanra, do you need a break?" Kara rode up next to the maid's horse, her cloak emblazoned with the Duchy's coat of arms fluttering in the wind. "It's been three hours, you must be hitting your limit with the monster."

"I hit it a long time ago, milady," Lanra replied wearily. "But aren't you needed by Her Majesty?"

"Nah, Nike is doing fine on her own. Here, hand the devil over. I'll look after her for a while."

* * *

 **The stern looking priest took Grey's chin, much like the nobleman had. He turned the child's head, but unlike the man from the baker's stall, his eyes were somewhat gentler.**

 **"Evan, you really think this is..."**

 **"Look at those eyes, and the color of that hair. If you want more proof, look in the mirror, Desmond. I remember what you looked like at five, and Grey is the spitting image of you," the nobleman said, sitting lazily in an armchair. He had brought Grey to a manor, where the boy was fed, cleaned, and told to wait by a maid. A few hours later, he was summoned to this room, where the nobleman named Evan and the priest were waiting for him.**

 **"But... it could be anyone, no? What if they took after Serena instead of me? Besides, I heard the child was a girl, not a boy-"**

 **"Are you that dense?! What part of this child looks like a boy to you?" Evan demanded suddenly. Grey gulped nervously as those cold eyes bore into him.**

 **"I-I'm a boy," Grey said, trying to be defiant.**

 **"You see, Evan?** ** _He_** **-"**

 **"Oh please, she's a girl. I took one look at her and I knew it, but I had the maid give her a bath earlier to confirm. Why are you pretending to be a boy?" he asked Grey sharply.**

 **Grey stayed silent, and the priest raised a hand.**

 **"Evan, don't interrogate the child. I hope you don't treat your Laia like this," he frowned.**

 **"I do no such thing, but if I did, it would be none of your business,** ** _little_** **brother."**

 **"Very well, but I'll ask the child." He knelt down to Grey's height and took the small hands. "Grey, is it true that you're actually a girl? No one is going to hurt you if you are; in fact, we'll be very happy if it's true."**

 **"R-really?"**

 **"Really. Now, would you tell me why you're pretending?"**

 **"I-I'm not pretendin'," Grey muttered. "I always been a boy to everybody. Nobody ever treat me like a girl, so I never felt like one."**

 **"I see..." the priest said, nodding. "Do you want to stay a boy then? Is that more comfortable?"**

 **"Y-yessir." Evan made a noise but the priest ignored him.**

 **"Very well." He stood up and turned to Evan. "I'll be taking this child back with me to the temple."**

 **"You'll acknowledge her publicly?" Evan asked, surprised. "You'll lose your standing. You'll be in disgrace."**

 **"I have no plans to abandon my name as a Rani," Desmond said firmly. "But I do owe this child some modicum of... consideration... as a parent. You did say that** ** _he_** **was caught thieving, yes?"**

 **"I did. She was quite silent; it was only her rotten luck that ruined her escape, because neither I nor the baker noticed she was there at all."**

 **"Perfect. Then the Night Order will want him."**

 **"Ah, washing your hands of it while still retaining your sense of paternal duty, eh?" Evan sneered. "No wonder you prefer her staying a boy; it's much easier to deny her parentage that way. Very much like a Dainer, Desmond. And just like you."**

 **"As long as you keep your mouth shut, Evan, this might turn out well all of us. Having a nephew in the Night Order would have its own perks, I'd think."**

 **"That it would," Evan said, staring out a window absently. "Assassins don't come cheap."**

* * *

It was typically a two day ride from Uldyne to Ginitarix, but with an entire army in tow, Livi had calculated that it would take roughly three days to finally arrive before the Outer Gates. So far, it had been an uneventful journey, which was more of a relief than usual, though the awkwardness between him and Nike was still palpable. Livi understood that it would take more than just the truth and a handful of flowers to make things right between them, but it was still hard for him to be so close to her physically while her heart was so distant.

"At least she's talking to you, Your Highness," Neil had whispered to him privately after handing him a handful of maps earlier that day. "For years I was afraid Her Majesty might snap you in half like a twig. I've... seen things," the chamberlain said, suppressing a shiver.

"I'm still not sure she won't," Livi replied under his breath as Nike rode by.

"She won't," Neil said once she was far enough away. "She's cooled down quite a bit. And she's been waiting for you all this time; she may be upset, Your Majesty, but she was never going to let news like this change her feelings."

"How do you know?"

"Because she told me so," Neil said, adjusting his glasses. Livi stared at him incredulously and Neil laughed slightly. "Did you really think Nike-sama hadn't considered a situation like this when she decided to leave the duchy? Did you think your wife was a fool, milord? I've spent three years on the run with her, and I've never seen a more sensible woman in a pinch. She knew you were considering getting remarried, and she's always had her suspicions about your disappearance. She just hoped it wasn't true because she loved you, and she wanted to believe in you. Which is precisely why she's so angry and feeling betrayed now."

"Neil, that doesn't make me feel any better."

"I wasn't saying it to make you feel better, sire. I was saying it because you need to let her have a bit of space to come to terms with her emotions, and also because you picked a hell of a woman to be the Sun Queen," he said, watching Nike's figure as she rode ahead. "I think she's always had the ability to lead within her," Neil commented. "She's normally so careless and she radiates happiness like the sun, but since you left, she's had to fight, and it's helped her become the queen she always had the potential to be."

Livi watched the woman ahead with a heavy heart. Unlike the clumsy princess he'd known for so long, the woman leading the charge was royalty to her core. Elegant, striking, and wild all at once, a force to be reckoned with. A lioness on the prowl.

"I know that's a great thing for the country," he began quietly. "I know she's a great queen... but it seems to be making her miserable. I want her to be happy and kind, like she always was."

"Her Majesty isn't miserable, sire. She's had a lot to deal with, but she still laughs and jokes and sneaks off to roll around in the wildflowers when she thinks no one is looking. You should see her with the Princess on a good day; watching them play together makes you want to join in. She's just busy, and since you left her with so much responsibility, she's not in the mood to forgive you just yet. I suggest you start by being her reliable partner in this venture, Your Majesty. If she can rely on you now, she'll be more at ease and less inclined to behead you tomorrow."

* * *

 **A semi-secret organization under the control of the Temple of the Sun, the Night Order took in children and raised them to be assassins and spies. Many Eclipsed children ended up in their ranks, since the Rani could easily dispose of their illegal sons and daughters there with little fuss, but there were also orphans scouted from the city or children whose parents "donated" them to the religious order. The Night Order almost exclusively worked for the Temple and the High Priests, though it wasn't unheard of for wealthy nobles and aristocrats to rent their services from time to time.**

 **Grey was skilled, even by the lofty standards of the Night Order. He was agile and well suited to be a spy with his small build. He was also gifted in his studies, and by the time Grey turned fourteen, his father arranged for the boy to be sent to the Royal Academy under a false name. Since by then it was difficult for Grey to hide his biological gender, it was agreed that while at school, Grey would attend as a young woman; it would help disguise his origins and make his job easier in the future. An educated spy was easier to place in high government, and there was nowhere the Temple needed more eyes than in the Royal Palace.**

* * *

Night seemed to come on far too quickly. Though they had been moving all day, it hardly felt like more than a few hours when Falaha and Fortis suggested they make camp for the evening. Ginitarix didn't seem all that much closer; the outer walls were still just a black line in the distance, but Nike knew they must have ridden for several miles. Within the hour, campfires popped up throughout the plain and the smell of hundreds of different dinners being prepared permeated the air.

Nike wasn't all that hungry, but she still took a few bites of the food Lanra gave her and joined her family around their camp. She spent much of the evening fussing with Thena's hair; in order to entertain her, Kara had been teaching the girl some new wind songs, which resulted in a rather buffeted looking battalion and several terrible knots in Athene's long hair.

"Did you have to teach her more wind techniques?" she complained as she tried to pull a comb through a knot the size of her fist. Thena whimpered as her mother pulled as gently as she could.

"Mama, it hurts," she cried.

"I know, Thena, I'm sorry," Nike said kindly. It made her feel terribly guilty to cause her daughter pain. "Just hold on a minute longer, okay? Mama's almost done..."

"Sorry sis, I didn't really think it through," Kara said, shrugging. Her own hair was too short to knot up, though it also looked fairly windswept. "She just wouldn't shut up unless I kept her busy."

"Why couldn't you keep her busy counting or something?" Nike sighed, trying to undo the knot with her fingers.

"I already know counting," Thena said sulkily.

"Only to thirty," Kara teased. "Which I'll admit, is impressive at your age, but you could learn more."

"Don't wanna."

 _There goes her favorite phrase again_ , Nike thought, finally undoing the clump of hair.

"There we go, you're done," she said, satisfied.

"Tie it up, Mama," Thena demanded. Nike gave her hair a tug.

"'Please,'" she corrected.

"Why are you telling me 'please'?" Thena asked, looking up at her mother innocently.

 _Brat._

"You're a horror, Thena," she teased. "It's a good thing we've been raising you to be nice and tender, because Mama is going to eat you!" Nike said, hugging the girl around the waist and kissing her little face.

Their shrieks of laughter could be heard across the camp.

* * *

 **Grey graduated with good marks from the Academy and was almost immediately placed into the palace as a secretary to one of the clerks. He worked hard and was well liked, so he was quickly promoted through the ranks. For two years, he had almost no contact with the Night Order or his father, so he lived a relatively simple life as a servant in the palace. He had no particular opinion on His Majesty, though the Rani and his superiors in the Night Order considered the young king a threat to the Royal bloodline. Grey actually quite respected Livius I; like Grey, he was an unwanted child, a supposedly unlucky one, and yet he'd competently taken charge of a kingdom and subdued the world by the age of nine. He also didn't particularly mind the Princess Nike; she was pleasant enough and interesting to watch. Still, Grey tried his best to remain impartial; he could be asked to betray or assassinate anyone at any time, and it was best that he didn't become attached to anyone in the castle.**

 **Still, two long years passed before he received a summons. On the pretext of visiting a sick relative, Grey took a few days off from work and traveled to his father's house on foot. He was discreet, and let himself in through the kitchens as usual.**

 **"Ah, Young Master Grey," the usual maid said when he walked in. "I haven't seen you for quite some time. I suppose you'll be wanting to see milord?"**

 **"Yes Felicity, if you don't mind," Grey said politely.**

 **"Just a moment then," the woman said, wiping her hands on her apron. "Come, I'll let you into the foyer."**

 **Grey waited for a few minutes outside his father's office while the maid announced his presence. He looked around the foyer, taking in the decor; he knew that if his father died, the house and money would go to him as the only heir, but Grey had never felt at home here. He had, after all, lived in the Temple for most of his life.**

 **"The master will see you now," Felicity said, leaving the door open for him as she bowed and returned to the kitchen.**

 **His father was getting old now; Grey rarely saw him nowadays, so the thinning black hair was more obvious to him than it may have been if they lived together. As usual, he wore the white robes of a Rani, even at home, but Grey thought he looked a bit more drawn than usual.**

 **"Hello, Father," Grey said. Desmond nodded and gestured for his son to sit.**

 **"How have you been, Grey?"**

 **"Well enough. As ordered, I've been working diligently in the palace. I've gathered information and passed it along when asked. Nothing else of interest."**

 **"Good. Do they trust you, up in the castle?"**

 **"Yes, I've been promoted to a chamberlain, and I work with the king and princess often."**

 **Desmond nodded thoughtfully and held up an envelope.**

 **"We have a job here for you. It's an assassination, Grey."**

 **Grey wasn't surprised. "From the Night Order, I presume?"**

 **"Yes, though my brother has had a bit of a hand in it."**

 **"My uncle?"**

 **"Yes, he's working on a rather ambitious plan of his," Desmond sighed. "In all honesty, neither I nor the other priests think it's for the best that he succeeds. So we'd like you to take this job instead," he said, tapping the paper on his desk. "However, if it fails, we'll likely have to default to Evan's plan; now that His Majesty's wedding is approaching in less than a month, time is of the essence."**

 **Grey raised an eyebrow. "Does uncle know you're going forward with this instead of his plan?"**

 **"He does, though he's unhappy about it," the Rani grimaced. "Still, he's no fool; he's already failed at a few of his plans, so he won't turn down the opportunity to try this. He has, however, given us a condition."**

 **"Which is?"**

 **"If it fails, he wants you to work under him for a while. He's commissioning your services in the event his plan goes into motion."**

 **"Why me?" Grey frowned. "Isn't it dangerous to hire me? If I get caught and it's discovered that I'm his nephew, it will destroy the Dainer name."**

 **"I think that's exactly why he's asking for you," Desmond said, rubbing his temple. "He wants both you and me to be invested in the plan. If it gets out that you're my child, I will lose my place in the Temple, and you will probably be executed for the double crime of being Eclipsed and an assassin. He's hoping that will be enough to ensure that we do our utmost to help him succeed."**

 **Grey thought for a moment.**

 **"Uncle isn't above using anyone, is he?" he commented. It wasn't a question.**

 **"No he isn't."**

 **"Then I'd best make sure** ** _this_** **plan succeeds instead," Grey noted dryly, taking the envelope from the desk.**

* * *

Thena fell asleep earlier than usual that night. Nike made sure she was tucked in well against the cold air before getting up and going for a walk. Most of the soldiers had bunked down already, either in tents or on simple bedding in the open air, though several were still awake, talking and laughing among themselves. As Nike passed by, several bowed their heads in respect, though some simply waved or smiled. The guards on patrol saluted her but didn't stop her or ask where she was headed. She wouldn't have known what to answer even if they had asked.

She felt restless and on edge, and she didn't feel like being near anyone just now. Luna and Fortis had invited them to some drinks before bed, and though Kara and Falaha had agreed enthusiastically, Nike had declined. For some reason, the idea of sitting with a group of people and chatting seemed like too much to process; she suspected that she needed some peace and quiet for a while.

There was a small hill nearby, and Nike made for it. At the top, she could see a single tree standing vigil over the area, and she liked the idea of sitting under it for a while and sorting out her thoughts. Walking through the plain was slightly treacherous at night, however. More than once, she tripped on a rock or hole she couldn't see, and by the time she made it to the top of the hill she was sweaty and tired.

 _Bother this tree,_ she thought bitterly, but she nevertheless sat at the roots and slumped against the trunk, away from the lights of the camp.

She took a deep breath, savoring the cold air in her lungs. It smelled differently than the air in the Rain Duchy; like sunshine and flowers and dryness. It was a familiar smell, one she hadn't realized she'd missed.

 _We've been here for months, but I've hardly had a moment to really savor it,_ she realized, taking in the plains around her. The scenery, the birds, the trees and flowers; they were all unique to the Sun Kingdom.

 _Even the stars are different_ , she noticed, looking up at the constellations. They were further south than the Duchy, so southern stars were more visible here. She picked out a few that she recognized and reached her hand up to them like she had as a little girl. _Now I can pick them out of the sky,_ she smiled to herself.

She closed her eyes and listened to the wind, feeling more at home than she had in years.

* * *

 **Grey readied the pistol in his pocket as the Queen finished her speech. In a few minutes, she and His Majesty would pass right in front of him, and that would be his best chance to complete the job. He took a deep, steadying breath; although Grey had been taught how to shoot until he could hit a moving target dead center, he had still never actually killed anyone. He was confident he wouldn't be recognized; he had attended the wedding in his best masculine disguise, complete with a chestnut wig to hide his black tresses, but his nerves were at an all time high. He had always been assured that it was no different from shooting at an inanimate object, but now that he was about to kill a person, a person he** ** _knew,_** **in cold blood, Grey felt nauseous.**

 **Still, this is what he had been raised to do. This is what all the training had led up to, and he had been given the honor of ridding the Sun Priests of their most stubborn and unworthy enemy yet.**

 **But when Grey raised the pistol, aiming it through the space between the people standing just ahead, he faltered.**

 _ **Shoot, dammit! He's right there! Shoot, Grey!**_

 **Still, his finger would not pull the trigger, and in a flash, a pair of wild, green eyes realized they were staring down the barrel of a pistol.**

 _ **Shit, she's seen!**_

 **He took his shot, but it was too late; in the second of his hesitation, Princess Nike pulled Livius to the ground and alerted the entire arena to the presence of danger. Grey immediately shoved the pistol in his pocket and began to run, making sure to drop the weapon as far from the scene as he could get.**

* * *

"I'm not sure this is the most comfortable place to fall asleep, princess."

Nike opened one eye in annoyance; she recognized that voice anywhere.

"I thought you would be drinking with Fortis and the others," she said. He was standing over her, his hand on the tree trunk as he looked off in the horizon.

"I'm not one for hard liquor," he shrugged, echoing her own excuse. She begrudgingly made a noise to indicate she understood and closed her eyes again.

She heard him slide down and sit beside her but made no movement to show that she noticed or cared.

"It's been a long time since I've sat down to look at the stars," Livi commented. His voice was calm and measured, neither sad nor proud, just stating a fact.

"I see. And what do you think now?" she asked, thinking back to a conversation they'd shared many years ago.

"I dunno. They're just stars, after all," he said, and she heard the smile in his voice. "But, looking at them now, it feels different than it used to."

Nike blinked her eyes open, staring up through the leaves and branches at the small patches of open sky between them.

"Different in what way?"

"It's hard to say. They look the same, but they feel... nostalgic, somehow. Like they've been waiting for me... or maybe I've been waiting for them. I wouldn't know."

"They're not all the same stars you can see in the Duchy," Nike said.

"That so? You probably have different names for them too."

"Yeah. Different stories to go with them as well."

"It's interesting, how we all live under the same sky, but we all see something different in it." She heard him sigh. "It took me a long time to realize that."

"What would Talea see?" Nike asked, aware that it was a sore subject between them. Livi flinched but stared at the sky and pondered the question.

"Well, I can't say for sure, but I think she would see freedom. So close she can see it, but too far to reach it. It would be taunting her, I think. Three years I shared the hell of her life, and I still don't know how she's made it til now. So for her, I think the stars would be a cruel reminder of what she's seen, but beautiful too; something she could never touch, no matter how much she dreamed of it."

"I knew her for a whole year, but I never imagined she was suffering like that," Nike said, hugging herself. The details Livi had shared with her about the mistreatment in the Dainer household had disturbed her to her core.

"It's the reason she was always keeping to herself," Livi said. "She's turned herself into a sort of doll; she tries her best to do as she's told and avoid the worst of it, but on the inside she's just a normal girl."

"I hope we're not to late to help her."

"I hope so too."

* * *

 **Grey had failed, and within the week, he and several other operatives in the castle had been gathered to serve under the Earl of Ferana's command. A series of 'accidents' were concocted throughout the capital to keep His Highness and his wife busy; it was imperative that the royal couple had as few chances to spend time alone together as possible until the king could be removed safely from the castle. If the queen became pregnant, the plan would be ruined.**

 **At the end of the week, Grey was ordered to start a fire in the southern granaries. The king returned alone from the stables, and Grey seized his chance. Hooded and using his best masculine tone, he followed Livius into the garden in the darkness of the night, catching him unaware and delivering the Earl's message at knife point.**

 _ **'Your Princess is under surveillance. We've been ordered to kill her if you don't cooperate. Try to fight back and you'll regret it; I don't work alone, and I'm not the only assassin planted in the castle. If you want her to live, do as you're told, Sun King.'**_

* * *

A thoughtful silence had fallen between them.

"What do you see, Nike? In the stars?" he asked suddenly.

"Me?" she asked, turning to look at him. He was staring at her now, his blue eyes shining slightly in the faint light. "Nothing, really," she muttered.

"You never could keep eye contact when you lied," he chuckled to himself. He smiled slyly and leaned back, his arms behind his head. "I'm sure it's something sentimental and _meaningful_ , whatever it is," he teased.

"Watch it, you're still on thin ice," she warned.

"This is who I am," he shrugged. "If you're going to be angry, you're going to be angry. But I won you over once with my devious charm and snark, so who says I can't do it aga- ow!"

She'd hit him over the head lightly, just like the old days.

"Once a brat, always a brat," she said, her tone flat.

"Ugh, I hate it when you get like this," he said, rubbing his head mutinously.

"Well I hate it when you act like you own the world!"

"That's because I _do!"_

"Doesn't mean you can be an ass about it!"

"Stop acting like you're my mother, you old woman!"

"Then quit acting like a stupid kid, you little jerk!"

Nike had grabbed his collar and pulled him down to her level, and Livi had done something similar with a lock of her hair. They were glaring each other down when it suddenly struck them how ridiculous they were being.

"I forgot you're taller than me now," Nike said, blinking in confusion.

"I forgot you're only twenty," Livi said. They burst into laughter.

"Why do you always call me old?!" Nike cried, clutching her stomach as she fell into stitches. "I'm like, three years your senior! That's nothing!"

"I dunno, probably because you're always calling me a brat," Livi chuckled. He fell back onto the grass, staring up at the sky. "I'd almost forgotten what this felt like."

"Mm..." Nike agreed, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. She hugged her knees and took a deep breath. "Livi..."

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what? Calling me a jerk? Apology accepted, my dear wife."

"No, stupid," she said. "For... you know..."

"Oh. You mean for being upset."

"Mm."

"Don't be, I deserve it. You should be as angry as you want; I'll accept all of it."

"But I'm not upset now," she said, but immediately corrected herself. "Well, I am, but I think I can understand why you did what you did. And for some reason that makes me feel less angry about it."

"I see..."

"Maybe I'll be angry again tomorrow, I dunno," she mused. "But tonight, at least, I'm glad you're here."

Livi didn't reply immediately.

"Nike, come here a second."

"Huh?"

"Just, come."

Suspicious, Nike crawled over to his spot on the hill.

"What is it? It's not some caterpill-" Before she could finish her thought, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down into a kiss.

 _"DAMMIT I CAN'T BELIEVE I FELL FOR THAT!"_ she cried, but he was laughing again. For all the growing he'd done, he still looked like a boy, enjoying himself to his heart's content. Before she knew it, she was laughing too, their hands entwined as they watched the stars dance slowly across the sky.

* * *

 **Grey was ordered to watch the queen while the king was away. His first priority was to make sure she was well guarded by the right people, in case the threat needed to be acted on. His second was to ensure that she remained unaware of her situation for as long as possible.**

 **When she was moved to the White Gold Tower, Grey was slightly relieved. The princess was overworked, but she was uncannily sensitive to things she shouldn't be. In the tower, at least, she was kept under closer eye by a different spy, and she couldn't meddle as much in the palace, which was Grey's territory. Or at least, that's what Grey told himself.**

 **In truth, he'd grown rather fond of Princess Nike. She was very capable in the right circumstances, and he could appreciate why His Majesty was so taken with her. She brought the sun with her wherever she went, and even when she was in a bad mood she was impossible to dislike. Charismatic and smart, she was exactly the kind of leader a country should have, and Grey was rather sorry that he had to play a part that made her miserable. Given a choice, he would have gladly remained a simple civil servant in her employ.**

 **But Grey didn't have a choice.**

 **He hadn't seen the princess in so long that Grey was completely unaware that she had been hiding a pregnancy for months, since before her exile. He berated himself for his oversight, but he wasn't punished outright. Instead, he was asked to lead the others in his Uncle's employ to the tower in the dead of the night and kill everyone in their beds. Even the informant, a maid, would be a casualty.**

 **Heavy of heart, Grey did as he was told. Somehow, however, the princess had caught wind of the plan and fled with her closest retainers. He made sure that everyone in the tower was slaughtered and immediately began the pursuit.**

* * *

Talea knew that what she was attempting was dangerous, but she had had enough. As discreetly as possible, she prepared two bags and ordered Rosalind to hide them in her room. She spent the rest of the day with Cecil, making sure that the child was well tired out by the evening. After dinner, she retreated to her room and began the painful wait until the rest of the castle fell asleep.

She was so anxious that she began to chew on her nails, a bad habit that the Earl had tried to whip out of her as a child. The hours seemed to tick by far too slowly, the ancient clock on the mantle counting down at a funereal pace.

Finally, at about two in the morning, a quiet knock came at her door.

"Rosalind," Talea breathed, accepting Cecil's sleeping form from the maid as soon as she answered.

"Shhh, milady. We'll need to be silent," Rosalind whispered, shutting the door behind her. "Wear your most comfortable shoes, miss," she pointed at Talea's bare feet.

"Right," she said, rushing to her wardrobe and looking for a pair of flats.

As she finished dressing with one hand, Rosalind tied up both their hair and tucked the loose strands under their cloaks. "To prevent someone grabbing it," she explained. Satisfied, she held out one pack for Talea as she pulled one on herself.

"Are you sure this is the best course of action, milady?" she asked nervously as Talea handed her a dagger.

"No," Talea admitted. "But I can't just sit around and wait for my father to decide that Cecil is dispensable."

"But he isn't," Rosalind said, confused. "If Cecil dies, then your father-"

"That's not what I mean, Rosalind. Children can survive a lot of pain, you know," she said, grimacing.

Rosalind glanced at her mistress' back and nodded sadly. "Yes, miss. You're right."

"Hurry, we need to be as far from the castle as we can before daybreak."

* * *

 **Grey lead the search in the city. He was impressed that the princess had managed to get so far, but he was sure that she wouldn't endanger civilians if she could help it. Spreading their forces, Grey took the southern wall alone. He was just about to give up and turn back when he heard a high-pitched scream from around the corner. He dashed down an alley just in time to see one of the princess' maids hurrying along the street.**

 _ **Tch, she must be a diversion. Foolish girl.**_

 **Grey was about to head in the opposite direction to look for the princess when he suddenly got an idea.**

 **He was alone. No backup, no soldiers. As far as he could tell, no one had found the queen yet, and since the maid was in his area, it was likely she was hiding nearby; no one else would find her unless he did.**

 **He gave the maid a good look, thinking fast.**

 _ **Right height, wrong hair color... but there are dyes... and for the moment, if she's bloodied up enough, no one will ask too many questions. I worked with her for long enough that anyone will believe me if I insist this is her.**_

 _ **It's a risk... and a betrayal to my uncle... but... if the plan is to remove her from the castle, then having her flee is enough. She's too capable to kill for a reason like this. A queen like that is one in a million, and I'd rather not be the one to end her life.**_

 **One act of defiance and a cruel lie later, and as far as the world was concerned, Princess Nike had been assassinated that night.**

* * *

The two women hurried through the courtyard, making for the forest on the palace grounds as quickly as they dared. Cecil was in a deep sleep, as Talea had hoped, so it wasn't too difficult to carry him under cover of the cloak.

 _If we can make it to the forest, we should be able to find a way to get through the palace walls without being seen._

Rosalind stopped at a corner and carefully looked around to check for a guard. A second later, she indicated for Talea to follow and hurried off.

The sound of a pistol firing in the silence of the night froze them in their tracks.

"Drop your weapons and turn around, now!" A cold voice commanded. Talea felt hot tears gather at the corners of her eyes.

 _Nothing I do ever works in my favor_.

"Did you hear me, turn around!" The voice barked. Slowly, Rosalind and Talea did as they were told.

A tall woman with familiar dark hair and eyes was glaring at them from the shadows.

"Of all the foolish things, Talea Dainer," the woman said, pointing the pistol directly at Talea's face. "You should have known better than this."

"Erika..."

"Grey," Erika snarled. "My name is Grey, and I'm afraid you're not going anywhere tonight."


	24. A Matter of Coexistence

"Hey, Auntie..."

Kara started at the sound of Thena's voice. She turned to see those protuberant green eyes staring out from under the blankets of her bedding. She looked a little bit like a cat hiding in the shadows, the light reflecting in her eyes.

" _You're_ supposed to be asleep," Kara said, looking back at her work. She was fixing a necklace of black lotus stones that had broken a few days earlier and was trying to focus in the dim light of the campfire.

"Can't sleep without Mama," the little girl said.

"You can't sleep with your mama forever, kiddo."

"Can so."

"You know she's going to be sleeping in your daddy's room when you get to the castle, right?" Kara asked, threading the round stones through a new string.

"Then I'll sleep there too," she said stubbornly.

 _Oh, brother-in-law is going to_ love _that_ , she thought, smiling to herself.

"If you say so, Thena."

For a moment it seemed like her niece had fallen asleep, but then she spoke up again, breaking Kara's concentration.

"Auntie, remember when you taught me about spirits?"

Kara put down her needle and frowned at Thena.

"Have you seen a spirit?" she asked, concerned. It was normal for practitioners of Amefurashi to be able to see the spirits of the dead from time to time, especially when there were powerful emotions left over. It could be frightening, however, and not all spirits were benevolent.

"No," Thena said, but Kara thought she answered a bit too quickly.

"Then why are you asking?"

"Because..." The girl fidgeted under her blanket, and Kara could practically see the wheels turning in her head.

"If you haven't seen one, go to sleep," she said. "Your mama will be mad if she finds you're still awake when she comes back."

"I... kind of saw one," Thena muttered.

Kara sighed and put her work down again.

 _Clearly, I'm not gonna be finishing this tonight_.

"Fine, tell me about it."

"...I just wanna know... what happens if a spirit can't rest?" she asked, sitting up. "You said I'm s'posed to sing to spirits to help them, but what happens if singing can't help?"

Kara scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "Well, it depends. What kind of regret did this spirit have?"

"Um, she was sad for leaving someone in danger."

"Hmm, yeah, that's not something you could help with a song," Kara mused. "Care to share the details?" she said, but she knew the answer already.

"Can't, I promised," Thena said quietly.

Kara sighed. "Then I can only help so much," she continued. "Normally, a spirit that stays behind has a regret they need help with. We can help by turning their feelings into song and conveying it to the people they need to talk to," she explained.

"Ya, you already told me that, Auntie. I wanna know what to do for-"

"Patience, you little demon," Kara said, giving Thena a playful poke in the stomach. "Anyway, sometimes singing isn't enough to help the spirit, so they try to help themselves."

"How?"

"Well, you know how a spirit that has no regrets is eventually reborn as a new person?"

"Uh huh, it's called 'carnayshun.'"

"Reincarnation," Kara corrected. "The new person has no memories of before they were born, so the spirit starts life all over again as someone new. Spirits with regrets can't do this, but they _can_ attach themselves to people and things. If they do that, they might take over someone's body. We call that possession, and it's usually bad."

Thena gulped. "Then the spirits turn bad if we can't help them?"

"No, it's just that most spirits who possess someone already have bad intentions."

"Oh... then what about someone with good... whatever?"

"They usually don't possess anyone, but in _some_ cases, it's possible. The problem is, with possession, there has to be a very strong link between the spirit and the person or thing they attach to. Usually the link is something negative. Hate, anger, resentment... the kind of things you feel when you're sad or mad at someone. But there's one kind of person that is easy to possess no matter how weak the link between them is, though spirits avoid them because it's dangerous."

"What kind of person?" Thena asked, looking a bit frightened. Kara reached to caress her hair.

"A very small child."

* * *

It had been so long since Talea had last been whipped that every movement of her body sent hot, sharp pain down her spine. She sat alone in her cell, listening to the horrible screams that punctuated the silence of the dungeon. Each cry cut a new wound into her heart; it was one thing for Talea to endure physical abuse, but another entirely for a sweet girl like Rosalind to be punished for following her orders.

 _Why did I think I could do this?_ Talea thought bitterly, hugging her knees tightly despite the pain. She felt small and disgusting, a weak, grovelling creature like the insects crawling on the dirt floor. _All these years, and I still haven't learned that I'm of no use to anyone... not even to my own child._

Tears pooled down her cheeks and she pulled the ragged blanket around herself tightly. Cecil had been taken away from her; she had no idea where he was now, or if he would be punished for her mistake. She wasn't sure if she would ever see her sweet baby again.

 _I'm so, so sorry, Celio. Mommy failed you, I'm sorry,_ she thought, covering her mouth with her hand as she broke into full sobs.

For the first time in a long time, Talea thought about the other child, the one she had lost. Two children had now paid the price for her foolishness. A powerful wave of despair and self-loathing overcame her.

 _I did this. This is all my fault, for thinking I could escape my father. Please, God, help_ _me_... she prayed desperately. _Just once, once in my life, this is all I have or ever will ask of You... Kill me if You want, but please, help my child... Get him away from this cursed family!_

But when she closed her eyes and willed her message to reach the heavens with all her might, she knew it wouldn't work. God had never bothered to help her before. She clutched at the thin silver chain around her neck; it had been a gift from Livi. When he heard that she had rarely celebrated her birthday, he had asked one of the servants to get it for her from town.

"Nike taught me," he had said. "Even if you think there's no reason to celebrate, there's always someone who will be thankful you're alive." He'd helped her put it on, and she was surprised to see in the mirror that it suited her well. "Thank you for being born, Talea," he'd said. That memory was one of her few treasures.

And then, as the thought of Livi filled her head, another idea presented herself. It was desperate and sentimental, but Talea was already clutching at straws.

 _Princess Nike... if you've reached heaven, please, I beg you... I know I don't deserve to ask this of you, but please, please! If you loved Livi as I know you did, please save him... Help him escape from his captors, and please, protect his son!_

* * *

She wasn't sure when, but at some point Nike had fallen asleep on the grass. She blinked, feeling uneasy, and sat up, looking around in the darkness of the night.

 _Was I just being... called?_

"What is it?"

Livi was looking up at her sleepily, shielded from the cold by her cloak.

"I... I thought I heard something," she said quietly, straining to hear.

"We're not far from camp," Livi said, suppressing a yawn. "Maybe a horse made a noise or someone shouted."

"Maybe..."

"Come back to bed, it's cold without you," Livi complained, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"We're hardly in bed," she pointed out, though she still allowed him to pull her back under the cloak.

"A mattress, under a tree with a cloak, what's the difference?" he muttered, resting his cheek on her hair. "We're sleeping, so it's a bed."

"Technically, it's two cloaks," she said, pointing out the one they were laying on.

"Sorry, but I'm not going to lie on the grass naked," Livi said, grumbling. "I'm still the Sun King, you know?"

"You're not _naked_ ," Nike snorted.

"You know what I mean," he yawned. "Without a blanket or whatever."

"You're unbelievably spoiled, Livi."

"Mm, that's okay. I'll live," he said, and within seconds he was fast asleep again.

 _Idiot_ , Nike thought vaguely as she buried her face in his shoulder and drifted off once more.

* * *

"Auntie, I don't get it," Thena frowned, holding her toes in one of her odd sitting positions. "How come it's dangerous for a spirit to 'tach' a kid?"

"Hmm let's see... how do I put this..." Kara closed her eyes, trying to think of a way to explain it as simply as possible. "Okay, so... you know how kids are still growing?" Thena nodded.

"I grew taller this year," she said matter of factly.

"Yeah, you did, but you also got smarter, right?"

"Uh... maybe?"

"You did," Kara said. "You didn't notice, but we do. You used to do this thing where you chewed all your toys," she grinned.

"Nuh uh!"

"You did, it was kind of gross," Kara laughed. "But anyway, kids all start kind of... blank. When you're born, your personality is usually just emotions. You're sad, or angry, or happy, or all three. You were one of the angry ones," she teased. "But now, you're more than just an angry baby, right?"

Athene rubbed her face. "Auntie, you're confusing me."

 _Whoops._ "Okay, let's start again... tell me, who are you?"

The girl made a puzzled face. "Huh?"

"Tell me who you are, in your own words."

"Uhm... I'm Thena, mama's Thena."

"Okay... and who is Thena?"

"Uhm, Athene Nadi... Nadiya Ifri...kia," she said, stumbling a bit on the middle and last name.

"You forgot Remercier," Kara said.

"Oh... yeah. And Remer... gah, whatever!" she said, throwing herself back on her bedding. "I don't get why you're asking me, auntie!"

"Just answer, okay? Who is Athene Nadiya Ifriquiya Remercier?"

"Me," the child said, exasperated.

"Okay, but what makes you you?"

"Uhm... my mama is mine, and my daddy is mine too... my aunties are mine, my grandma is mine, granny and uncle Kitra are mine... Lanra and Neil are mine," she ticked off. Kara snorted; of course Thena would think in terms of possessions.

"What other things make you who you are?"

"I'm a prince...?" she said, uncertainly.

"Princess," Kara corrected. "What else? What do you like?"

"Cookies... and sweets... and mama's sticky rice!"

"Anything else?"

"Uhm, I like cats? And singing, and running, and rain, and and... oh! I like coloring! Playing outside... when mama reads me a book... and pretty flowers and stuff."

"There you go, so Athene is someone who likes all those things right? She's a princess with a big family, she's a smart girl who loves her mama and daddy, and that girl is you, right?"

"Uh huh..." she replied, uncertain.

"Well, when you were a baby, you didn't know you liked these things. You were too small to run or sing, and you couldn't play tag or talk."

"Oh..." Thena thought for a moment. "You mean like my brother?"

"Eh?"

"Cecil is too little to play tag," she said, rolling over to lie on her stomach.

"Did... your daddy tell you that?"

Thena cocked her head slightly but made no other move to respond. Kara decided to ignore it. For now.

"Okay, well, yeah, you were too little. That's because your soul was new, so you didn't know things yet. So, all you had was your name, and how you felt at the moment; that's what makes it so easy to possess a child," Kara explained. "The younger you are, the less of a bond you need to have to connect with a spirit, because there's not much to bond to. Er, does that make sense?"

"Kinda," Thena said, scrunching up her face in concentration. "So... if you're a baby, you're not very... uhm, full of stuff? And a ghost can fill the space up?" she said hesitantly.

"Yeah, pretty much. The spirit will take that empty space and can then take over the child. But because a small kid is very blank, the spirit ends up sort of... becoming a part of the child's original soul. They can never leave if they choose to possess a kid, and they become like... a mixture of the spirit and the child. That kind of person is sometimes really unstable; it can make a child sick and they can die from it. It doesn't always happen, but it's always a huge risk. If they die, the spirit has to follow whatever the child's soul does, and since they're usually so small, they rarely have regrets and immediately reincarnate. You following, kiddo?"

"Not really. Can't you tell me the easy way, auntie?" Thena whined. Kara groaned.

 _I keep forgetting she's just three. Even a genius three year old is still a three year old._

"Look, the important part is, if a ghost takes over a child, they get stuck, and then the kid might get sick and die. That means the spirit won't be able to use the child to solve its regret anymore, and it will be forced to reincarnate. That's why they don't usually try to bond with a child, get it?"

"Oh, I think so."

"Another problem is that most kids, even when they're just babies, still naturally reject foreign souls. That means that your soul," here she pointed at Thena's chest, "doesn't want to share its space, even when you're just a baby. It puts up a fight, and if you have a strong soul, you'll usually win."

"So... not all kids can be taken over?"

"Nope. I guarantee that if a spirit tried to possess _you,_ Thena, you would have sent it packing." At that, the little girl perked up proudly, but her face fell again a second later.

"Then, auntie... if a good spirit wants to help itself, the only thing they can do is share with a little kid?"

"Most of them won't do it, if they're really good. They don't want to hurt the child, or get stuck and be unable to do anything to fix its regrets. But I guess, in a really desperate situation, they might try..."

The fire crackled loudly as Thena fell silent, clearly lost in thought.

"Auntie... how do I know if a spirit is sharing with someone?"

Kara wasn't sure she liked where this conversation was heading. There was an odd look in Thena's eyes, and she made a mental note to inform Nike of what she'd been saying, just in case.

"It's kind of late, kiddo. We should probably-"

"Please Auntie, tell me," she pleaded, and Kara was rather surprised to hear her niece actually _ask_ instead of demand as usual.

"I dunno, this stuff is pretty complicated, I probably shouldn't have..." but the look in Thena's eyes was so desperate that she sighed. "Fine. It's not easy to tell. If a child has a spirit in them, they'll have had it since they were really, really small. It'll be a regular part of their personality, though they probably have no idea they're actually two souls in one body. The kid will think their thoughts and feelings are their own... But occasionally the spirit will act when the child is unconscious, like when they're sleeping. Sometimes, we can pick up on that, in dreams or telepathy."

"What if... what if you help the spirit... talk... to the kid?"

"I wouldn't do that," Kara said sharply. "Even a good spirit can't control what might happen if the child realizes they're sharing a body. Their soul will naturally be very confused and fight, but because they're already bonded, it hurts itself too. After that, the bond will become even more unstable, and the child will die soon after."

"Always...?" Thena whispered. She looked horrified.

"Always."

* * *

"Rosalind, try not to move," Talea whispered, holding the maid's hand tightly. They had brought her into Talea's cell, bloodied and limp, and dumped her on the prison mattress without ceremony. Talea had done her best to try to accommodate the girl's body so that she was facing down, her back exposed to the cold air, but it had been difficult. She had no medicine or bandages to treat her with, and she herself was in no condition to move too much. The best she could do was sit on the ground next to the hard bed and clutch the poor girl's hand while she whimpered and cried herself to sleep.

"Milady... I'm sorry... I should have... stopped you," Rosalind's voice croaked.

"Don't be silly, Rose," Talea said softly. "I'm the one who should apologize. It's my fault... I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to do this with me."

"I... would have... gone anyway," Rosalind stammered. "I wouldn't... abandon... you... milady."

Talea felt her heart ache.

"Stop it, I don't deserve that kind of loyalty," she said bitterly. "I've never done anything to deserve it."

She felt Rosalind's hand squeeze hers gently.

"Miss... you don't... need to do... anything..." she said, wincing and breathing heavily. "You have... always... been kind... to me... that's... enough."

"Rose, you shouldn't speak," Talea said, concerned.

"See...? You're... very... kind, milady. Don't... blame... yourself... nothing is... your..."

Her hand suddenly lost its strength, and Talea knew she had passed out. She gently laid the girl's arm back on the bed and stared up at the grimy ceiling.

"Miss..."

Startled, she accidentally pressed her back against the bed and cried aloud.

 _"I'm sorry!"_ a voice hissed, and Talea felt her heart jump into her throat. It wasn't Rosalind's voice.

She took a deep breath to try to calm the pain from her wounds and strained her ears to hear.

"Is... someone there?" she whispered tentatively. The room was dark, but it was far too small to contain anyone other than herself and Rosalind. The voice had to be coming from outside the cell.

"Over 'ere," the voice said quietly, and Talea realized there was a small grate on the side of the wall, probably for draining water. A pair of bright eyes were staring straight at her. She tried to crawl over to the unknown person.

"Who-?"

"I'm Lilian," the person said, and Talea realized it was the voice of a young girl, probably not much younger than herself.

"What in the world are you doing here, Lilian?" Talea asked, concerned.

"Dunno," the voice said. "I was just mindin' my own business; my family owns an inn and I was workin' as usual. I was s'posed to get some help from my sis' boyfriend, but instead some soldiers came and made me go with 'em. Been here ever since."

"How long ago was this?"

"Dunno, few years probably. Not much to keep track of time with," Lilian's voice said dryly. "Who're you?"

"Oh, my name is Talea," she said. _This is bizarre; the last thing I would expect is to be having a civil conversation in a dungeon._

"Fancy soundin' name," Lilian scoffed. "Noble?"

"Yes."

"Poor you then; I heard 'em whipping you and your friend. Nobles aren't used to stuff like that so it must hurt like the devil," she said.

 _I wish that were true for me._

Talea heard the sound of rummaging on the other side of the wall.

"Hold on, my sis gave me a good balm. They didn't take the stuff I was carryin' in my pockets, so I've been savin' it. Where did I... Oh, there it is. Here," A small container rolled through the grate and landed at Talea's feet. "Use it. Not much of it, but it should help."

"I can't use this, it's yours," Talea said, feeling guilty for taking the girl's medicine. "Please, don't worry about us."

"I don't need it. Besides, my sis would kill me if she heard I didn't help someone who needed it. She was always like that, going on about what's right and wrong."

"Are you sure?" Talea asked, hesitating. Some medicine would greatly help Rosalind.

"Sure, go ahead."

"If you're absolutely sure... Thank you, Lilian. Really, you're very kind."

"Not at all. Oh, and, Miss Talea?"

"Yes?"

"Keep your chin up. My sis always said you need courage to get yourself outta trouble. I haven't given up on getting out yet. You shouldn't either, or you might miss the opportunity you need."

Talea couldn't help smiling, even though courage was the last thing she was feeling. Lilian clearly looked up to her sister a great deal.

"Your sister sounds very wise."

"Other than 'er taste in men, yeah, she is."

* * *

"You lied to me."

"I know... I'm sorry."

"Sorry?! If you were sorry you wouldn't be hurting my little brother!" Thena shouted, her high voice echoing through the dream.

"I am sorry, I had no choice-"

"You knew he was gonna die!" she cried, angry tears gathering at the edges of her eyes. "You asked me to link you and now he's gonna die, and it's all your fault!"

Sheila closed her eyes, looking hurt. Thena felt a savage satisfaction knowing that her words were at least doing some damage to the creature who was slowly killing Cecil. She didn't know her brother all that well, but she never wanted him to disappear either.

"Who are you?! If you were really our grandma-"

"I _am_ your grandmother," Sheila said firmly, her clear eyes catching Thena's. "I'm Livius' mother. I didn't lie about that."

"Then why would-"

"Because," Sheila said, and Thena thought she looked even sadder than usual. "I want to save my son."

Thena glared. She was small, but she wasn't a fool.

"What about daddy's son?! How come you're fine if HE dies?!"

"I'm not fine with any of it!"

"If you really cared, you wouldn't-"

"He would have died anyway!" Sheila shouted, and Thena fell silent. The ethereal woman ran a hand through her hair, and Thena realized she was trembling.

"What do you-"

"Cecil was... he was born too early," she said gravely. "His mother... she's broken, on the inside. She... she can't have children."

"I don't-" Thena began, but Sheila cut her off and shook her head.

"That child... he wasn't supposed to be born. They had to take him out by force, and both he and his mother almost died. The doctor saved her, but Cecil was going to die. His body was too small, and his soul was too weak. It was already mostly gone. I... I had already promised myself I wouldn't try to possess anyone. I thought about it, when you were born, you know... but I couldn't hurt an innocent child, especially not Livi's. I helped your mother escape from the dangers here, and gave up on the idea of bonding with you." She stared up, toward the blue sky. "I wanted to protect Livi, but not enough to hurt anyone else. But, when Cecil was born... I was there. I saw him dying, and I wanted to help... The poor boy would have been alive for only a few minutes... a few minutes of nothing but pain and suffering... He looked so much like Livi did, when he was born... I just..." she broke off.

Thena gritted her teeth but waited for her to continue.

"He used my strength to stay alive. He's still using it," she said. Her voice sounded far away somehow. "I was planning to just quietly live in his heart, let him grow up and live a normal life, never realizing I was there... Even if he hadn't been a baby when I possessed him, we share a blood link, so the bond was more stable than most. I think he would have been fine for a long time-"

"You're... awful!" Thena shouted suddenly, and a terrible, sharp wind began to blow through the clearing. "You helped him and then just stopped?!"

"I have no excuse," Sheila said. "But that child... you know, don't you? What his grandfather wants to do to him?"

"You said he wants to kill daddy and make Cecil king," Thena seethed. A roll of thunder echoed in the distance.

"He does... and do you know who Cecil's mother is?"

"That lady... that bad man's daughter."

"Right. She's not a princess, or a queen. She's just a girl, like I was. And because I was just a girl, they tried to kill Livi... over and over, they kept trying... and then they killed me."

The wind howled, lonely and cold.

"If it wasn't for your mother, Thena, Livi would have died a long, long time ago. Nike protected him, and she saved his broken heart too. But Cecil can't be guaranteed to have that kind of luck. He's not like Livi either, he's like his mother. They're the kind who keep pain to themselves... the kind who quietly stay out of the way. If Livi dies, Cecil won't have anyone to shield him from all the people who want to hurt him. His mother will try, his grandfather will try, but eventually he'll run out of people to die for him. I've felt it, the hatred in the castle, all the people who want to get rid of that family. If Livi dies, Cecil dies, Thena. So I chose to save Livi."

A flash of lightning rent the sky in two above them.

"But Cecil is still going to die," Thena said. She didn't feel like a child; she didn't even feel like a human. A powerful rage was building inside her, and she seemed to be able to understand things more clearly than usual.

"...Yes. Cecil will help me save Livi... and then he will die. I'm sorry."

The thunder was so loud that Thena was ripped from the dream violently. The last thing she saw was Sheila's face, tears sliding down her cheeks.

* * *

"Thena? Are you okay?" Nike asked, taking in her daughter's flushed face.

She and Livi had returned to the camp shortly before daybreak, only to find Thena tossing in her bedding, completely drenched in sweat.

"Livi... her skin is hot," she said. He quickly pressed his hand to her forehead.

"Feverish," he said. "I'll get Lanra; we need to cool her down." He left hurriedly.

"M-mama?" Thena said, her eyes blinking in confusion.

"I'm here," Nike said soothingly, brushing Thena's hair back. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Thena nodded and clutched at her mother's clothes.

"She was awake already, she'll be right back with some cold water," Livi called. He entered the tent and placed a hand on Nike's shoulder. "She'll be fine, Cecil gets fevers like this from time to time."

At Livi's words, Thena shivered.

"Daddy, you have to stop it," she said cryptically. Her eyes looked unfocused, and Nike got an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"Can you repeat that, Thena?" Nike asked, aware that her voice sounded panicked. Thena almost never got sick, but it was more than that. Something was wrong.

"Daddy... mama... you have to... help... him..." she managed to mutter. She swayed dangerously and fell over into Nike's arms, unconscious.


	25. Beyond the Wall

" _No!_ Mommy! Rosie!" Cecil screamed, pounding his little fists against the door.

He had been fast asleep when he was suddenly woken by the sound of his mother shouting for him. Startled, he'd found himself in the darkened nursery, alone. There were people yelling outside, and Cecil heard his grandfather's voice shout angrily. He was frightened; he didn't understand what was going on and his mother's screaming sounded so desperate that he immediately started crying for her.

No one came to check on him. Not Rosalind, not Talea, not even his grandmother, who occasionally looked after him. Unnerved, he climbed out of his bed and tried to open the door. He could barely reach the handle, but it wouldn't budge. He had been locked in, and the sudden silence on the other side of the door struck fear into his heart.

His frightened screams eventually wore him out, and Cecil huddled on the floor, coughing loudly as he tried to regain his breath.

 _Grandma, what do I do?!_

But for once, Sheila was silent. Cecil coughed again, too distraught to notice the warm, red stain left behind on his shirt sleeve.

* * *

Bard arrived at the palace early for a change. There were several documents that needed immediate attention and his sister had been in a particularly foul mood at home. It was just past six in the morning when his carriage drove up to the castle courtyard and dropped him off as usual. As he disembarked, however, his aide hurried up to him at once.

"Lord Bardwin!"

"Notten, what is it?"

The aide matched his pace to Bard's as they walked up the front stairs and launched into his report.

"Sir, last night the Lady Talea was found trying to flee the palace with a handmaid. She's been caught and imprisoned, by her own father, no less."

"What?!" Bard came to a stop and stared at Notten. "Where did you hear this?!"

"It's all the maids are talking about, sir. The scullery girls are completely in their element this morning; I overheard them when I went down to the kitchens."

 _Talea, running? I never thought she would do something so risky,_ Bard thought, puzzled. He didn't know much about her, in truth: there was a rather depressing air about her, and Bard didn't particularly care to spend time around people who were always in low spirits. Still, she didn't strike him as the type to take chances, not unless she was cornered.

"Do the maids know why she tried to run?"

"No sir, they're speculating about it. Some think she's unhappy with her lot; Malya, the head maid, says she heard that the girl resents giving birth and wanted to run away from her child."

"That's ridiculous," Bard sniffed. "That girl is one of the most overly doting mothers I've ever seen. Her, abandon her son? Never."

"Yes, that's what I said too, milord, but it seems there's conflicting versions of the story. Some of the servants say she was taking the child with her, but several others say she left him behind."

"Why would they think that?"

"It seems that Lord Dainer is spreading the story. They say he's declared her unfit to look over the boy since she tried to abandon him. He's had her locked up in the dungeons and forbidden the child from seeing her."

"I'd bet my position that it's a lie," Bard muttered angrily. "He's trying to make her sound irresponsible so that he can justify separating her from her son." _That poor girl... with a father like that, it's no wonder she tried to run._

"Perhaps so, sir. I only know what I've been told," Notten said, glancing around as if he were afraid to be seen gossiping. "And, there's something else, milord..." he continued, lowering his voice. "There's an odd rumor going around..."

"What, is Dainer telling people that he's my long lost brother or something?" Bard asked flatly.

"Uh, no sir..."

"Spit it out then, you look like you're dying to tell me."

"Well... you know that army that His Majesty headed out to intercept? There's a rumor that the king has been captured by their leaders, sir..."

 _"What?!"_

"That's not all," Notten continued, shaking his head at Bard's incredulous look. "They're saying that that army is being led by a ghost, sir."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"It means..." the aide gulped and made a quick religious sign over his heart. "They're saying that the army is being commanded by none other than Princess Nike herself, brought back from the dead."

* * *

Athene remained asleep for the rest of the day, her fever still raging. Nike was inclined to halt their progress until the princess recovered, but could ill afford it. They were only a day's journey from the outer walls now, and any time wasted loitering on the plains was time that the Earl could use to muster forces for battle. The last thing the army needed was to be beset before Nike could try a diplomatic approach; war was a last resort.

Against her better instincts, she allowed Thena to be loaded up onto one of the army carts so she could rest. Begrudgingly, she asked Lanra and Kara to take turns watching over her as the troops marched on.

"You look worried, Nike."

"Of course I'm worried," she said, giving Livi a sharp look. He rode at her side, as always. "My child is ill, what mother wouldn't worry?"

"Yeah... I understand," he said, and Nike saw his hands tighten slightly around the reins. "But, kids get sick from time to time, she'll be alright..."

"Athene almost never gets sick," Nike said nervously. "The only time I can think of was when she was still a baby; and her fever wasn't _this_ persistent either..."

"If things get worse, Kara and Lanra will let us know," he said gently. She opened her mouth to argue but at the look on his face, she decided to let it go.

 _He won't admit it, but he's worried too..._

Knowing that he was there with her, concerned about Athene, helped her calm down a little. It wasn't just now, either. For years she'd felt an ever-present anxiety that rarely abated, but when Livi was nearby, she was able to take a moment to breathe.

 _Everything feels so much... easier. I feel like I could do anything, as long as he's here. Heh... It's been a while since I felt like such a romantic._

Livi seemed lost in thought.

"Listen... Nike... There's something I wanted to-"

"Your Majesty! We're coming within ten miles of the wall, milady!" The soldier hardly seemed to notice he had interrupted something. Livi set his teeth and looked straight ahead, his eyes far away.

 _What did he want to say?_ But she had too much work to do to dwell on it for long.

"Thank you," she said, pulling back on the reins. "Please relay to the generals that I'd like a word with them."

 _This is it. Either we negotiate our way in, or we fight. I hope for everyone's sake that we don't need to spill any blood._

* * *

Violetta rode hard through the castle gates, coming to a stop just outside the guardhouse. She leaped from her saddle almost immediately, startling the guard on duty.

"Captain!? Where is-"

"There's no time," she snapped at him. She handed over her horse and instructed that he be fed and watered immediately. As soon as she was done she made her way to the castle proper, her temper raging.

 _Never would I have thought I'd have to warn an enemy of the state that the rightful King and Queen are on their way to take back the city,_ she thought furiously. _I've never been much of a patriot, but Princess Nike and His Majesty deserve better than treason from me. If only that... that OAF hadn't allowed Lilian to be taken!_

She almost kicked a door open in fury, though it was luckily opened from the other side by a young butler with yellow hair.

"C-Captain Rootwick!"

"Oh, Sororu," she recognized. The boy had grown a bit since she'd last seen him, but his face was still as rounded as ever.

"What are you doing here, ma'a- I mean, sir?!" he asked, obviously shocked to see her. "They said you're supposed to be engaging an enemy force on the southern border." Violetta noted that he carried a small tray of half eaten food.

 _What's he doing serving out here? These are the Dainer private rooms, they never eat here. And that doesn't look like much of a meal either..._

"That's not important," she said. "Have you seen the Earl?"

"He's in his study," the boy murmured with dislike. Most of the servants in the palace resented the Earl's presence; he treated them imperiously, as though he were the king himself. There was nothing they could do when he was officially His Majesty's guest, however.

"Good." She knew her lip was curled with disgust, but she didn't care. "By the way, who have you been attending to?" she asked, frowning.

"Oh, the young master," Sororu explained, and for some reason, his face fell. "He hasn't been eating much. He's distraught after what happened, sir."

"The young- oh, you mean His Majesty's child?"

"Yes, sir. Haven't you heard?"

"I'm afraid not, I just arrived."

"Ah. The young master's mother has been arrested. They say she tried to flee last night, but she was caught. They're not allowing her to see the young master."

 _Poor boy..._

"It's cruel," Sororu said quietly. "The young master is only two years old, they shouldn't take him away from his mother."

"Yes... but you should keep your thoughts to yourself, Sororu," she warned. "It's dangerous to speak your mind nowadays. But thank you for letting me know."

"Yes, sir." He bowed and excused himself.

Violetta sighed to herself and continued down the hall to Dainer's office.

* * *

As far as Grey was concerned, he had been unfairly punished for good service.

 _What the hell, Uncle?!_ he thought angrily as he scrawled his signature on a treatise. _I caught that stupid girl, prevented her from ruining the plan, and THIS is the thanks I get?!_

He tried his best to ignore Cecil's crying as he worked.

At some point that morning, his Uncle Evan had sent for him. Grey expected praise for the quick capture of his cousin, but instead the Earl had foisted Cecil on him.

"Why are you giving him to me?!" Grey had asked, furious. "I have work to do, I don't have time to babysit!"

"Silence!" Lord Dainer had commanded, and even Grey had had to obey. "The child has been screaming all morning for his mother and nursemaid, I've had it up to here," he growled. "I don't trust any maids to look after him now, and my wife dislikes the child. You look after him."

"I'm Head Chamberlain, Uncle! I have a mountain of paperwork to do in His Majesty's absence-"

"Surely you can multitask," Dainer smirked. "I don't trust any other woman to-"

 _So that's it. This bastard thinks that because I'm technically a woman, I must be able to look after a child._

Grey gritted his teeth. His identity was complicated, even to himself. He'd spent years living as a boy, and an equal amount of time as a girl, especially at school. In all honesty, though he used male pronouns for himself, he didn't mind, or care, what he was. What _did_ upset him, however, was the markedly different treatment he got for being a woman.

As a man, Grey's skills were never questioned. He was praised for being quick on his feet and intelligent in his work. Efficiency and thoroughness were his trademarks. But though he was the same as a woman, there was an astonishingly narrow-minded brand of stupidity among his male peers concerning his abilities.

 _Hmph. It was always a mystery to them that they could be beaten so soundly by a woman in every subject. What idiots._

Unfortunately, men like his uncle also seemed to share a rather low regard for women, no matter how accomplished. It made Grey all the more motivated to succeed at whatever he tried, and he had a great respect for the women around him who also worked hard to excel, especially with the odds stacked against them by unfair standards.

"Uncle, not all women are gifted at childcare," he said coldly.

"Perhaps not, but you should learn. They're skills you'll need someday." He waved Grey off nonchalantly and returned to his work.

As Grey moodily led the child back to his office, he wished fervently that he didn't owe his uncle as much as he did. He would have loved to slit the man's throat from ear to ear.

* * *

At some point, Cecil ran out of tears. His throat felt raw and his face swollen, but no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't produce a sound.

 _Mommy... where are you, mommy?!_

He sniffled, tired. He wanted to sleep, but he was afraid. He'd been taken to that woman's office, and she was more intimidating than usual. Everything felt scarier without his mother or Rosalind to coddle him. Worse, his grandmother's spirit had become subdued and quiet. Cecil hadn't realized just how prominent and familiar Sheila's presence had become in his thoughts until she was all but gone. He felt lost without her.

"Finally," Erika grumbled from her desk as he fell silent. "This is why I hate kids."

He sat awkwardly on the chaise, afraid to move around. Erika had always frightened him, and even though he had been following her lately on his grandmother's instructions, he was still wary of her. She rarely smiled and there was a cold, calculating look in her eye. He didn't trust her one bit.

* * *

Violetta arrived outside Dainer's office just as a bout of shouting began.

"You knew and you didn't tell me?! That's my NEPHEW out there! How could you keep it secret that the king has been captured?!"

"There was no need to-"

"No _need?!_ We should be out there, trying to recover him!"

Violetta recognized Bard's voice and felt a familiar lurch of anger in her stomach. She raised her knuckles to the door.

"I have a guest, you see?" came the angry response. "Quit wasting my time, Bardwin-sama."

" _WASTING YOUR TIME?!"_

Violetta decided it was as good as any a moment to push the door open.

"Milord. Bard," she acknowledged dully. As usual, the Earl was sitting behind his desk, and Bard was standing in front of it, looking livid. She ignored his confused look.

"Captain Rootwick, I did not expect you until-"

"I'm afraid there's urgent news from the front," Violetta explained, hating herself for every word. "There is... a crisis."

Bard opened his mouth to speak but Dainer silenced him.

"Explain."

"There is an army, amassing from the south. They are nearly here."

"I know that. What I _don't_ know is who they are and what they want," Dainer spat resentfully. "You failed to specify in your report."

"I'm surprised your spy network hasn't paid off," Bard muttered, but he was paid no mind.

"Yes sir... there is... a rumor," Violetta lied. _Even I won't give milady away until there's no other choice._

"If it's that bloody rumor about the queen coming back from the dead-"

"Indeed. But it isn't entirely unfounded, sir," she continued, keeping her voice measured. "The army seems to be from the Rain Duchy in origin. As far as I could ascertain, it's being led by the late queen's elder sister and cousin. They captured His Majesty in a duel, I'm afraid, and are marching for Ginitarix as we speak. There was nothing I could do to annul his imprisonment; it was a lawful agreement."

"Another damned Eastern Princess?!" Dainer shouted, slamming his palms on the desk. "What the hell does she want?!"

"I believe they're seeking justice for the Queen's assassination," Violetta recited, closing her eyes.

"Ridiculous! That woman died three _years_ ago! Why do they care all of a sudden?!"

"They've heard about His Majesty's remarriage." Bard stiffened slightly. "It seems they find the circumstances suspicious, and consider it an insult that he is thinking of remarrying just three years after their princess' death."

"Idiots. We'll crush them," Dainer said, reaching for a fresh piece of parchment.

"I wasn't aware that the Duchy had a standing army," Bard said, frowning.

"I don't think they do," Violetta replied mildly. "It seems they have allies; I counted soldiers from the Sand Empire and the Ocean Kingdom among them. They're numbering in the thousands. I'm afraid I know little else; our spies failed to gather any more intelligence."

 _Not that we sent any. But His Blackguard Eminence doesn't need to know that._

Dainer tapped his fingers on his desk impatiently.

"Anything else, Captain?"

"No sir."

"Go, out of my sight. I'll be putting General Bayreuth in charge of the defense, seeing as you've proven useless on the battlefield," he said coldly.

Violetta bowed slightly and turned to leave.

It wasn't until she was halfway down the hall that she let out a sigh of relief.

 _I think it'll be okay now. He shouldn't hurt Lilian... it might be best to look for her now that I have the time-_

"Wait, Violetta!"

She didn't bother to turn. She pretended she couldn't hear him until he caught up with her.

"What do you want, you useless sack of flesh?" she asked irritably.

"About the army, was that the whole truth?" His voice dropped to a murmur as they passed by a butler.

"If I say it is, then it is."

Bard clicked his tongue.

"So you won't talk, huh... Will you at least tell me which of Nike-chan's sisters is leading the charge?"

"Kara-sama."

He nodded thoughtfully. "She strikes me as the type. It's been a long time since I've seen her."

Violetta rolled her eyes. "Are you done? Hurry up and get away before you infect me with your stupidity."

"As harsh as ever," he winced. "Is Kara-chan why that rumor about Nike-chan being alive is going about?"

She hesitated. _I could tell him... I suppose. After he thought the queen had died, he had a terrible time of it. He can be trusted... but..._

"Probably. Now if you'll _excuse_ me, I have something important to take care of," she said, turning the corner and leaving him behind.

I'm _still having a terrible time. He can wait._

* * *

Talea woke up several times during the day, her back aching horribly with every movement she made. There wasn't enough room on the bed for both her and Rosalind, so she allowed the maid to use it while she slept on the floor. It was excruciating on her wounds, even with Lilian's medicine. Still, she was thankful for the girl's help. She had no idea what she looked like, but it was reassuring to hear a friendly voice during the long hours of confinement.

She had never really interacted with a commoner before; it was an interesting experience. Here was a girl who had a very different set of worries than a noblewoman did. Lilian worried about finances at her family inn, and about work. She hadn't been schooled the way noblewomen were. She could read, like most people in the kingdom, but it was a result of being taught at home by her grandfather, not from attending school or having a private tutor. She was good at math because of her job, but otherwise her education was very sparse and the skills she needed were of a completely different type. She wasn't expected to grow up into a model wife or mother, nor was she expected to attend dances and parties and know all the different ranks of her peers.

Instead, she was expected to help support her aging grandfather. True, she could freely fall in love and marry whoever she wanted, but she had no time for romance. She had to wake up early to clean the inn from top to bottom, and sometimes she had to chase away drunkards and unsavory customers with her bare hands (and a broomstick, apparently). She had to go to the market every day, and prepare the meals at the inn herself. On busy nights she got as little as two or three hours of sleep before she had to get up and start all over again. There was always so much to do that even as a girl she rarely had a chance to play with her friends, though her sister always tried to get her to go out and have fun before she took up her post in the castle.

"Wasn't it tiring?" Talea asked, her cheek pressed against her knees.

"'Course it was. Some nights I just wanted to tell all the customers to go to 'ell. I can't count all the times I missed out on festivals and games 'cause they needed me at the inn."

"So why did you do it?"

"My parents died when I was young. They left that inn to me and my sis, and my grandpa's too old to run it by 'imself."

"But didn't you ever just want to... run away and do something different?" she asked, thinking about her failed escape.

"Sure. Don't everybody, from time to time? But you know, miss, it's not so bad, workin' in that inn. There's always people talkin' and messin' around, enjoying themselves. You hear some great stories, too, and meet all kinds of folks. After bein' stuck here so long, I realized I really miss it; an innkeeper isn't cut out to be alone," Lilian said, her voice echoing off the stone walls. It sounded wistful and lonely.

"I see..."

"How 'bout you, miss? You sound like you have somethin' you wanna run away from, if ya ask me."

Talea stretched her legs slightly; they were beginning to cramp.

"I don't even know what I'm trying to run from anymore," she said quietly. "I thought it was from my father... but maybe it's more than that."

"How so?"

"I'm not sure... I just... don't want to be here."

"Well, no one wants to be in prison, miss."

"No, I mean... it doesn't matter where I am. I always feel... trapped."

"I wouldn't know, miss. I can't imagine what it's like to be a noble; to be honest it seems like you have everythin' anyone could ask for."

"Compared to the kind of life you live, I imagine it does seem that way."

"Yeah, but I'm not naive 'nough to think you ain't got your own problems. Maybe ya feel trapped 'cause you _are_ trapped. And I mean more than just in this cell," Lilian said, and Talea heard a loud tap on the wall. "Nobles always seem so stiff and pompous; it's gotta be tiring tryin' to be polite and perfect all the time. Maybe you're tryin' to run from that."

"I suppose that's one way to look at it."

"Maybe you're overthinkin' it."

"Huh?"

"Are you happy, Miss Talea?"

"What?"

"With your life, the way it is. Without all the complicated stuff. I dunno what your father is like, or what kind of pressure you gotta deal with, but if you took all of that stuff away, would you be happy?"

 _If Father was gone... if none of this had happened, would I be happy?_

She thought back to her time in the palace as a courtier. She had been happy then, but...

 _It wasn't being at court that made me feel that way. It wasn't even Princess Nike, though the gods know I loved her. It's just, compared to life at home, life as a courtier was freeing. I could afford to mess up a little from time to time, or to enjoy a fun conversation or game. But even then, I still had to follow so many rules... and it was such a frivolous existence, it was exhausting in its own way._

 _I think... I think that's why I loved her. Noble life didn't bind her the way it did me. She had to do the things I did, but she didn't let them consume her. They weren't what made her her. She was more than her position... I... I wanted that. I wanted to be like her, a girl who happened to live a noble's life... not a noble who knows nothing of being a girl._

Talea blinked, and she was surprised to feel something wet trickle down her cheek.

"No. I don't think I would."

"Then, miss... It's okay to want to run away. I'm sure there's somewhere else you ought'a be."

* * *

"Depending on how things go now, we may be at war within the hour."

"We have a battle plan for that scenario, I trust?" Kitra asked.

"Yes, sir." Neil pulled a piece of parchment from his satchel and spread it on the ground for them all to see. It was a map of the Outer City, complete with the walls and the Southern Gates. He took a thin stick of charcoal and marked their position with a small mark.

"How are we getting in, then?" Luna asked, peering over the map. "Assuming negotiations go south."

"We're storming the gate," Neil explained. "We have no battering rams, I'm afraid, but we do have a fair bit of gunpowder, courtesy of General Falaha and Prince Irada."

"Hmph, of course. Gunpowder is a necessity during war," Falaha said. Nike thought it best not to say anything about how little experience her friend actually had on the battlefield.

"So we're blowing the gates down, huh..." Livi said, grimacing. "Damn, rebuilding the wall is gonna cost a fortune if it comes down to that."

"That's why it'll be a last resort. Luckily, if we can overcome the forces guarding the gates and wall, it shouldn't be a problem to get into the Outer City itself. There are no settlements for a good mile or so, so we'll have a clear march to the Inner Walls," said Neil, drawing arrows on the map as he spoke. "We'll likely have to camp within the walls for the night, once we get in. From the Outer Wall to the Inner Walls, it's a good half day of travel. As long as we remain vigilant, we shouldn't be ambushed before we reach the Inner City."

"So, we storm the gates and hope for the best, huh..." Nike said thoughtfully.

"Only if we can't convince them, milady."

"Right." _You mean if I can't convince them_.

She swept her hair from her face and tied it back.

"Who will lead Kara's division?" Kitra asked suddenly. "She's still tending to the princess."

"I'll do it," Fortis volunteered. "I have the experience to command troops; one battalion or two makes no difference."

"Alright. Livi, hands out. We've gotta tie you up," Nike said, gesturing at Falaha, who was holding a thick cord of rope.

 _She looks like she's enjoying this_ , Nike thought as she watched the young woman gleefully bind Livi's wrists tightly.

* * *

Livi felt rather absurd, like a donkey being pulled by a rope as the small group walked toward the gate.

 _I'm pretty sure Falaha is thinking that too,_ he thought as he allowed her to lead him on. There was a smug glint in her eye as she tugged at his wrists, and he was sure she was purposefully pulling on it from time to time to try to trip him up. From behind, Kitra prodded him forward with the tip of his sword. _With friends like these, who needs enemies?_

Ahead, Nike stood tall and proud, her crown glinting on her brow and her long hair pulled back. In her shirt and trousers, she looked every bit the dashing prince, and Livi wondered if that made him the captive princess.

The gates were shut; clearly the troops stationed on the wall were not about to just let a foreign army enter the imperial capital. He watched as several men trained bows on Nike. It made him nervous, but she showed no sign of fear.

 _"State your business!"_ A man with a bushy mustache shouted from atop the wall. He held a crossbow, and Livi could see the arrowhead glinting in the late afternoon light.

Nike stared up at him.

"I am here to take back my city," she said clearly, her voice carrying in the breeze.

Several of the soldiers on the wall leaned forward to take a better look at the woman below, and Livi noticed that many of them began whispering and pointing nervously. _They recognize her, even after all these years._

" _Your_ city?! This is Ginitarix, Imperial City of the Sun Kingdom!" the man roared. "We belong to no one but His Majesty the Sun King himself!"

 _What an idiot, does this man not own a royal portrait? Then again, I suppose they do all think she's dead..._

"You mean _this_ Sun King?" Nike asked pointedly, and Falaha brought him forward.

" _Why... you!_ How dare you! Release His Majesty immediately!"

 _At least he knows who I am,_ Livi thought.

"I am perfectly within my rights," Nike said. "I have taken Livius I as a captive through an honorable agreement. As long as you grant us permission to pass safely, no harm will come to him."

"You dare threaten to harm His Majesty?! Who do you think you are, woman?!"

Livi saw Nike straighten, and the wind seemed to grow a bit stronger.

"My standard is of clouds and rain, sun and lion," she called, her voice commanding. "My name is Nike Remercier, Queen of the Sun Kingdom, and Princess of the Rain Duchy. I have come to reclaim my husband and my throne."

"Impossible! The Queen of the Rain died three years ago," the man spat incredulously. "How dare you impersonate our beloved queen?!"

"I'm not impersonating anyone," Nike said, and Livi heard her slip back into informal speech. Clearly, she was getting annoyed. "Come down here and you'll see I'm still alive," she challenged.

"Bah," the man said, though he seemed less sure of himself. The soldiers around him looked incredibly uneasy. "Her Majesty would never take the king captive, foolish woman!"

"She would if he'd been unfaithful and left her for dead!" she shouted, and Livi winced at the accusation. _Nike, you're losing your temper there..._

"Stand down, immediately! We'll fire unless you surrender His Majesty and disband this force!"

"Fine, you leave me no choice!"

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy with moisture as a powerful voice echoed throughout the plains.

* * *

"Oh thank goodness we didn't have to fight anyone," Lanra said relieved. She stoked the fire carefully, keeping her apron away from the flames and soot.

"That guy was a pain. What a disgrace to beards and mustaches everywhere," Nike huffed, drying herself off in the heat. "At least he recognized my voice, if nothing else," she grumbled.

"I think he recognized the lightning and gale, actually," Livi said, shivering slightly. "Did you have to call such a powerful squall?"

"I didn't do it on purpose, I just got kind of..."

"Carried away?" Luna sneezed. Fortis wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

"Sorry," Nike said sheepishly. "I hope I didn't make anyone sick."

"We'll be fine," Kitra sighed, wringing out his shirt. "Make sure you're fully dry before you go see Thena, though. You don't want her to get worse."

"Mmm." She willed her clothes to dry as quickly as possible; every moment spent away from Athene while she was sick filled her with guilt.

"How was she?" Livi asked Lanra.

"No change, I'm afraid. Her temperature stayed high all day, and I don't think she woke up at all. Perhaps Kara-sama had better luck," she said.

"By the way, Your Highness," Fortis interrupted. "Do you think we'll be forced to fight tomorrow?"

"No, not directly," Livi answered, reaching for a blanket. "If I know Dainer, it's that he's going to try everything to delay us. We'll be making a siege on the Inner City, and that's not a wall we can topple with a few barrels of gunpowder. The entirety of the standing army is quartered in the Inner City, and they have the resources to hold out against a long siege. We'll have to make slow progress if it comes down to a fight."

"Even with a hostage?" Luna piped up.

"Yes... Dainer has hostages too," he said darkly. "I'm not the only one he's got tied down. Violetta, Bard... who knows who else? I won't be able to fight at all as long as Talea and my son are still in the palace."

"Can't we just do what we did today?"

"No, it won't work on Dainer," Livi muttered. "He'll assert it's one of Nike's sisters pretending to be her, or something just as stupid. And we can't use Athene as proof while she's ill. Even if we try to force our way through using Amefurashi, someone can still shoot at the practitioner, or blow us to bits with a canon, and then we'll be wide open. This is going to take a bit more of a traditional battle approach. We may be here for weeks."

"Well, this _is_ what we came for," Falaha shrugged. "Bring it on, I sa-"

 _"NIKE!"_

Everyone jumped at the sudden cry, and Nike turned to see Kara hurrying toward them, her face pale.

"Kara?! What's going-"

"Nike, hurry! Athene is-!" she didn't even finish the sentence before she bolted off again.

Stumbling to her feet, Nike quickly pulled on her cloak and followed, Livi just behind.

It was dark now, and the stars were beginning to come out. Kara hurried through the sea of campfires and tarps, Nike and Livi hot on her heels.

Thena had been moved to a small tent at the center of camp, which is where they found her. The princess was covered in sweat, and her face was a horrible ruddy color. Nike immediately knelt at her daughter's side.

"What's going on?!" she asked, immediately taking her hand. It was burning hot.

"Her temperature suddenly shot up, and look..." Kara swept Thena's long hair away from her face.

 _Oh gods, don't tell me..._

"What is it?!" Livi asked, completely at a loss. The girl was trembling despite being unconscious, and a small bubble of saliva was forming on the corner of her mouth. He pressed a hand to her cheek.

"Her limiters, she's trying to overpower them," Kara said briskly, rolling up her sleeves. "She's using all her power, and the effort will kill her. We have to get the earrings off, _now_." She pointed at Athene's earlobes, where the skin around the black stones was turning a reddish-brown color.

"Is that... blood?!" Nike asked, her voice strained with panic.

"Heated blood. The earrings are literally burning into her skin. They'll break soon, but if it gets to that point she'll have built up too much power. She's too small to contain that much energy at her age," Kara said grimly. "We have to unseal the limiters, and calm her powers down at the same time. Nike, I'll need you to lead the spell."

"Me?! I don't know anything about this kind of-"

"I can't start it, I'm not powerful enough," Kara said, touching the stones gingerly. She hissed as they seared her fingertips. _"Hurry, Nike! Sing!"_

 _"Sing what?!"_

 _"Whatever comes to mind!"_

Nike closed her eyes desperately and prayed to the rain for guidance. A second later, she began to sing in Hujan. The air trembled with her voice, the pressure adjusting to the plea of her tone. She clasped her hands together in prayer as she recited an ancient chant, asking the gods to bring rain to a scorched and burning earth.

Recognizing the song, Kara joined in, adjusting the tempo of the circular canon as she wove in her spell.

It was an otherworldly sound. Their interlaced voices changed the air, but it was more than just a shift in humidity. It was nothing like the song she had sung at the wall. The sound wound itself through the tent, a presence of its own, and reached deep into her heart.

 _Come on, come on,_ Nike thought wildly, still singing. The spell didn't seem to be working fast enough, and time was running out.

* * *

Kara didn't understand why it wasn't working. The spell on the earrings would not break, even though she had been the one to seal them in the first place.

 _What the hell is going on?!_

She kept singing, reworking the spell slightly as she did. Her face was hot and her hair was sticking to her forehead, but she didn't care. Breaking her concentration for even a second would be enough to kill her niece.

Twenty minutes, thirty... time seemed to drag on for an eternity, and all they managed to do was slightly calm Athene's power enough to keep her from spilling over her body's limit.

 _This child...! She's a monster! She shouldn't be able to use this much power! No human being should!_ Kara grimaced as another wave of raw energy threatened to break their spell.

 _Come on, Thena... You can do this, sweetheart!_ She tried to send the girl some reassurance telepathically, but she only managed to hit a wall.

Kara was weaker than Nike. she could feel her strength ebbing away second by second. In a matter of minutes, she would collapse, and Nike would be the only one keeping little Thena alive. It wouldn't be enough, Kara knew it.

 _Thena, goddammit! I WON'T LET YOU DIE!_

Desperate, she took hold of the scalding hot stones. Ignoring the horrible pain in her fingers as they burned, she willed all her power and energy to her hands and somehow, _somehow_ , she managed to make a dent in the spell and rip the earrings off by force.

She saw Thena's ears bleed copiously for a second before everything went dark.

* * *

It was over in a second; the terrible smell of burning flesh filled the tent just as the song broke off and Thena fell still. Shakily, Livi ripped the cuff of his shirt and used the cloth to mop up the blood from her ears. He pressed the back of his hand to the girl's cheek.

 _It's... the temperature is going down! And she's still breathing... Thank goodness... Thank..._

He hadn't realized that he'd been crying, but now he could hardly hold in his sobs. A heavy sense of relief flooded him as he took the child's little hand and kissed it.

 _I'm so sorry, Thena... I'm sorry I haven't been here for you all these years, but I'm... so glad you're okay..._

"Kara!"

He turned to see Nike holding up her sister's limp body.

"What happened?!" he asked, standing up and hurrying over to them.

"She... I think she's fainted," Nike said, taking Kara's pulse with her hand. She sighed with relief as she found it. "She's fine, except..."

She reached out to Kara's hands. The fingers had been burned. The skin was red and shiny, and Livi could actually see steam rising from the little stones in her palms.

"Water," he said. He spotted a basin near the bedding, probably for cooling Thena's fever, and brought it over. He gently placed Kara's hands in the cool water and fell silent for a minute.

He felt drained. His strength seemed to be ebbing away. He had the impression that Nike wasn't much better off.

"Why did this happen?" he asked a moment later. "What's happening to Thena?"

"I... I dunno," Nike said, biting the inside of her cheek. "It's not normal for a child to be able to overpower her limiters like this. Thena is... special... and can ignore them to some extent, but this is different."

"For some reason, it reminds me of when you lost control," Livi said quietly, grimacing at the unpleasant memory. Nike had almost lost herself then, her body pushed to its limits by poison and her own overwhelming power. "It makes me uneasy."

"It's the same principle," Nike sighed. "But I have no idea what's triggered it..."

Livi clenched his teeth.

"Nike... this is bad."

"Maybe Kara will know the reason when she wakes-"

"No, you don't understand. It's more than what just happened. Thena's abilities, all of it," he said. "It's dangerous, in more ways than one. The Sun Priests are already wary of your abilities, and that's only the parts they understand. If we manage to retake control of the city and get rid of Dainer, it doesn't mean that the clergy will just accept us with open arms. They'll have a hard time accepting an heir who's a practitioner of Amefurashi in the first place, but can you imagine how they'll react if they find out just _what_ Thena can do? We can be as careful as we want, we can forbid her from using her powers, or try to hide it, but one mistake and it's over. This is the perfect excuse for them to claim that she's a heretic; they'll strip her of her title, of her rights. They might even persecute her... If she fights back with her powers, she'll only make things worse for herself in the public eye, and we've just seen that she can't even keep control... _we_ can't even keep her under control. The truth is, Nike, I'm scared for her. How are we supposed to protect her from that?"

He reached to stroke Athene's soft hair gently.

"I know I've only known her for a few days... but there's something about her that makes it impossible not to love her. I feel like I've always been her father, and it terrifies me to think that she might be in danger for something we may not even be able to hide."

"I... I never considered it," Nike said, her voice stricken. "I always assumed that she would grow into it, learn to control it... I've been so preoccupied with everything else, I never thought..."

"I don't blame you. You've had so much on your mind already. Perhaps I'm just overthinking it."

"But... what if you're right? What are we supposed to do? It's too late to turn back now..."

Livi thought of Cecil and Talea, still held hostage in the castle.

"I know. It's always too late," he said bitterly.


	26. The Battle for Ginitarix

The days in prison melded together until Talea couldn't tell what day it was at all. From the state of Rosalind's wounds, which had begun scarring, Talea supposed they'd been in the dungeons for at least a week or two, though she couldn't be sure. Lilian was even less aware of the date, having been imprisoned for years, and Rosalind had been in and out of fevers since she'd been whipped. It was a quiet and dull existence, broken from monotony only when the guards brought their meals.

Still, in some ways, Talea preferred the relative solitude to the exhausting duties of a noblewoman. For once in her life, no one was interested in what she looked like or if she spoke a certain way, and there was no one to judge her actions. For the first time, she could voice her thoughts without worrying about being punished for them; after all, she had the company of two women who could care less if she was a proper young woman or not.

 _It's ironic_ , she thought, _that I should feel freer than ever while in prison._

Still, Cecil's absence caused a pain in her heart. Since he had been born, she'd rarely been apart from him for more than an hour or two, and she was so worried about him that she thought she might be sick.

Rosalind, once she began to heal, tried to reassure her that no harm would come to Cecil under Lord Dainer's protection.

"At worst, he'll have to learn to watch his behavior more closely," she said sadly. "But he's such a good boy already, I think it won't be too hard for him, milady."

"I don't want him anywhere near Father," Talea said bitterly. "I know only too well what kind of treatment he'll get for simply being a child."

Lilian made a noise from the other side of the wall; she had more or less gotten the idea of what kind of life Talea had lived by now and deeply regretted having said that nobles knew nothing of suffering.

"It won't help him to worry needlessly, milady," Rosalind said soothingly, taking Talea's hand. "Focus on keeping your strength up, and hopefully we'll be able to find our way out in time to save him from the worst of milord's temper."

Talea sighed. _If only I still had my knife, I would be able to at least wound the guard and take his keys._

It had been days since she'd overcome her initial aversion to the thought of violence on a bystander.

* * *

"Shields up!"

As one, the entirety of the advance guard gave a roar and held their metal or wooden shields above their heads just as a new cascade of arrows fell upon them from the ramparts. A moment later a strong wind hit, scattering the enemy fire; still, several shafts managed to strike against the shields and helmets, and several soldiers cried as they were hit.

 _Shit, not strong enough,_ Kara thought, wincing at the screams. _I hope none of them were hurt too badly..._

The sound of metal clashing against metal rang through the evening air, and Kara could clearly see the entirety of the battlefield from her elevated vantage point. As the army's only real defense against arrows, she had climbed a tree for a better view, keeping her both concealed and well placed to control the winds at any moment. From there, she could see Nike and Kitra at the front, swords flashing in the light of the setting sun as the defending army poured out through the gates of the Inner City.

"Kara-sama, the archers are preparing for another bout!" a soldier yelled from the foot of the tree.

 _Damn, I need to pay attention_ , she scolded herself, preparing the incantation.

It had been over a week since they'd laid siege to the city. Just as Livius had predicted, the general at the Inner Wall was made of stronger stuff than the one at the Outer Wall. He had, in fact, recognized Nike quite clearly, but he still refused them entry; his orders were to stop the army no matter who the commander, and as His Majesty was a captive, he felt that he could not trust the queen to her word.

That had infuriated Nike, but Livi had managed to calm her later.

"General Bayreuth isn't the one at fault. For all we know, he's being blackmailed as well, though in all likelihood he's just unaware of the situation," he'd said tiredly. "He's a loyal man, but he still thinks Dainer is in charge because I want him to be, and he's hesitant to trust you when you've got me prisoner."

"Except it's a perfectly legal imprisonment!" Nike argued.

"Yes, but even if Violetta let them know that, it would still seem suspicious; why would a rightful queen insist on holding her husband hostage? I'm betting that Bayreuth knows nothing about Talea and Cecil being used against me, so he doesn't understand why I'm still being held unless you have an ulterior motive."

"Gods, I hate it when you're right," she'd muttered, and moved on to figure out their next plan of attack.

Since then there hadn't been a day without some sort of skirmish at the wall, and Nike and Kara didn't dare force their way in by Amefurashi just yet. The wall was so heavily defended and well built that they would likely collapse from the effort of it before they got anywhere, and the portcullis would be impossible to open unless they set fire to it. That was the last thing they wanted, as it would imperil the innocent people in the Inner City.

Instead, the current plan was to win control of the gates; whenever battle was joined and the army was pushed back enough by pitch and arrows, the portcullis was opened to let out a small defensive force.

"They're trying to thin out our numbers," Fortis had explained. "Even with the resources to last through a long siege, the city must have hundreds of thousands of inhabitants; food will be scarce faster than they'd like, while the rest of us camping out here between the walls have access to all the fields and orchards that normally supply the Inner City. No man with a good heart wants everyone within the walls to starve to death slowly."

"We don't want that either," Kara replied, "but if they do manage to take us out little by little, it'll be a problem for us."

"We'll have to force them back, and use that moment when they open the gate to get through."

It was easier said than done. While Nike's army grew increasingly weary, the men within the walls never seemed to tire. This was because, as Livi explained, the main army was quartered in the Leo District and was so large that it could replace the tired soldiers at the front lines for weeks. Worse, it was hard work getting up close to the wall. Arrows pelted down at them in thick clouds, and while Kara could take care of most of them, stray arrows did occasionally wound or kill. There was nothing she or Nike could do about the boiling pitch thrown from the wall either, so they all had to be very careful not to get too close to the stone wall during the fights. Canons, gunfire, even bolts from crossbows... the Inner City was well supplied for fighting off an invasion, and their artillery was too advanced to be turned away by mere wind or rain.

So far, they'd gotten nowhere near the portcullis, and Kara was beginning to think that they may have bitten off more than they could chew. Falaha had been wounded two days earlier, shot in the leg by a pistol, and Fortis had only just managed to avoid the worst of a terrible slash across his back.

"This is why we wear armor, love," he winced as Luna helped him clean the cut.

Everyone was looking very drawn and pale, and Livi had been up all night for days in the Queen's tent trying to come up with a plan to salvage the situation.

 _We're getting nowhere, and the longer we take, the more people die._

"Kara-sama! They've spotted us, we need to move!"

Kara looked up and saw that the soldier was right; several archers were aiming at the tree. In less than a second she leaped down from the branches, held up her shield, and ran for cover.

* * *

A storm was raging, but it wasn't a storm like anything Thena had ever seen. Huge bolts of lightning struck across the sky, and the wind was so violent that it whipped her hair across her face, actually drawing blood. The rain pelted hard on her skin and turned to hail, bruising her. She wanted to run, but no matter where she went, the storm continued to roar, and there was nowhere to hide.

She couldn't say how long she had been there when it suddenly struck her that the storm wasn't _outside_. Her fingertips crackled with electricity and the horrible roar of the wind was coming from her own mouth. The more she listened, the more she realized it wasn't wind at all, but a song, wild and cruel. She tried to stop, but found that she had no control; the song had a life of its own and was threatening to tear her apart from within.

 _Mama, Auntie Kara, help me!_

She wasn't sure if she was imagining it, but she began to hear another sound beyond the howling of her own voice. It was faint at first, but it slowly wound through the air toward her, and Athene was sure she recognized her mother's voice, though it sounded so much less human than she was used to.

 _She's... singing._

But though she wanted to hear desperately, Athene's own song suddenly rose in volume, threatening to drown Nike out.

 _No! I just want to hear mama! Stop! STOP!_

It seemed an eternity that she fought with her own voice, her mother's song only just beyond her reach. She felt clammy and ill, and the longer she struggled, the more her heart fluttered painfully. It was hard to breathe, hard to think. Still, the storm raged.

 _"Thena!"_

Her earlobes suddenly burned, and she felt a terrible tearing sensation. A moment later, she fell to the ground on all fours, gasping for air, the song finally silenced. The storm seemed to disperse slowly, but it was definitely losing strength. Athene's eyes watered with pain as each breath racked through her body; everything was sore, but she had no time to rest.

 _That's right... I... I have to go._

She raised her head and saw that she was in the clearing from her dreams. Sheila was gone, but there was something else now; the soft murmuring of voices coming from the other side of the woods. She pulled herself up and stared in that direction.

It had been months since she'd heard voices like those. She raised a shaky hand to her ear and saw that though her fingers came away bloody, there were no stones.

 _I can hear... I can hear again._

After what just happened, however, the thought filled her with dread.

* * *

 _Gods damn it, how many more can there possibly be?!_

Nike threw her weight behind her shield, trying to topple the larger man she was fighting. Her shoulder screamed in protest as it slammed against the hard metal, but she ignored it and pulled away immediately, just barely managing to regain her footing a moment before the man's sword came at her again.

She dodged as best as she could in the tight space and returned the strike, only glancing at his armor. She was tired, and she knew she wasn't fighting as well as she had been. She angled herself to the right and lunged forward, only to be forced back again immediately.

A quick glance to the left showed her that most of her forces weren't faring any better. They were steadily being pushed away from the gate and back into range of the enemy archers; it was clear that the battle was lost for the day.

"Kitra, sound the retreat!" she bellowed over the noise, still facing her opponent. From behind, she heard Kitra shout his acknowledgement and a moment later the deep sound of an ivory horn reverberated through the battlefield. Nike took one last, desperate swing at the soldier in front of her, this time aiming for his legs. She managed to scratch him, giving her the opening she needed to escape. "Fall back!" she shouted, and all the soldiers near her did as she asked, just barely holding up their shields in time to protect themselves from a new flurry of arrows as they fled.

It was nearly a mile across from the wall to their camp. Half fighting, half running, Nike tried not to trip on any of the debris strewn over the muddy earth. Over corpses and bloodied weapons she hurried, jumping from one place to another as she made for the relative safety of the woods. She could see hundreds of men and women scrambling backward from the enemy, some of them falling over from their wounds, and still others trying to pull their companions to refuge.

 _I have to get to the trees and give them some cover,_ she thought desperately, vaulting over a fallen horse. _Kara is either down or unable to summon, which means I'm the only one able to do it._ A stab of worry went through her, and as had become her habit, she wondered if all her friends had managed to make it through the afternoon. _No time to worry just yet, Nike. First you have to ensure the retreat._

She pelted through the trees and up the ramp over the pit of pikes that made up their camp perimeter. As soon as she was in the clear, she shoved her rapier back into its sheathe and dropped her shield, and without a moment to rest she clawed her way up the nearest tree like a cat. She climbed as far as she could go and looked out; the edge of the forest was thin enough to ensure her a decent view of the open field between the wall and their camp, and she could see her own soldiers fighting to retreat. She rolled up her sleeves and ran over the song in her head; rain and harsh winds would make it difficult for her troops to make it back, but it would also prevent enemies from picking them off or following. She sent a quick message to Kara telepathically, hoping against hope that her sister was still alive and would relay the order to send help for the stragglers. Then she began to sing.

* * *

"Bloody _hell_ ," Livi seethed, slamming his fist down on the table. "Curse the day I sealed off most of the secret passageways into the city," he growled, scribbling notes onto his map. He paused; something was pattering down on the canvas tent, and Livi recognized the sound and smell of rain. "Another retreat, huh," he groaned, letting himself fall back into his chair listlessly.

"It seems so, Your Majesty," Neil said grimly, putting down a cup of wine for the king.

"I hate not being on the battlefield," he said darkly. "When I was younger there wasn't much I could do, but now I should be down there and fighting on the front lines, not sitting like a coward in camp."

"It can't be helped, milord."

"I know, that's what makes it sting the most." Livi took a deep drink from his cup and rubbed at his eyes tiredly. "How's Athene?"

"No change, Your Majesty. Lanra says she hasn't stirred at all, though she's certainly breathing and her fever is under control."

"It's not normal for her to still be unconscious," Livi said, stifling a yawn. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept. "I'll go check in on her as soon as I'm done here."

"You should rest, Your Majesty. You'll only get ill if you continue to overwork yourself like this."

"I have to do _something_ ," Livi said irritably, checking another map. "My wife is out there risking her life every day, my friends are getting cut up and the men are literally dying, while all I can do is stay here and try to figure out a way to get past the wall. Meanwhile Dainer still has my son and his mother, and who knows what he's doing to them every moment we're wasting out here." He circled a portion of the wall on the map and immediately launched himself into a tactical diagram. Neil sighed but let him get on with it.

"Livi."

The tent was swept open and Nike came in, drenched to the bone. She looked weary and her face was bruised along her left cheek. Livi immediately got up from his chair and took her shoulder.

"Nike. Sit down, here, take this." He handed her a blanket and sat her down at the table gently. "Any wounds?"

"I think I sprained my wrist a bit," she winced, holding out her arm. It was definitely swollen and was quickly turning an ugly purple color.

Livi hissed at the sight of it. "Neil, get me the bandages."

"Yes sir," the chamberlain hurried out of the tent.

"Anything else?" Livi asked worriedly, checking Nike's arms carefully. He started at the sight of a bloodstain on her waist but she shook her head.

"It's not my blood," she said, and Livi knew she'd rather not talk about it.

 _Nike is fierce, but she's not a killer. I wish I could spare her this._

He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. "I'm just glad you made it back in one piece."

She nodded, too tired to respond properly.

"Should I get you something to eat?"

"No. I'm not hungry," she said quietly, and Livi saw that she drew the blanket closer to herself.

 _What I would give for a good line to cheer her up with,_ he thought, but nothing came to mind. Instead, he held her and buried his face in her hair for a minute.

"Livi...?"

"Sorry, I'm useless in times like these. This is all I can do."

"You're not useless," her voice came from his chest, slightly muffled by his clothes. He pulled away and saw that though she still looked tired and worn, there was a bright light in her eyes that hadn't been there a second ago. "Without you we would've been crushed on the first day."

"We're still being crushed, you know."

"I think we've just... hit a wall," she said, and Livi snorted at the terrible pun.

"That was awful," he chuckled, but he felt a little better.

"Hmph, I'd like to see you do better," she said, but she was grinning slightly. He took her uninjured hand.

"Come on, let's go see Athene," he said. "And you can get some sleep while we're at it."

"Okay, but only if you stay with me," she said, tugging at his shirt gently. "You look like you need it more."

"...Fine. But first, let's take care of that wrist, princess."

* * *

"Where do you think _you're_ going?"

Cecil stopped cold on the threshold to the great hall, his little arms clinging to his fox for dear life. He nervously turned to find Erika glaring at him.

"I asked you a question, boy."

Cecil tried very hard not to shrink away. "Sh-Sheshil wanna pway," he said quietly.

"Then play in your nursery."

"W-wanna pway outshide..." He could hear his voice faltering; since Sheila had gone silent, he had trouble gathering his courage and he felt strangely weak. He'd been bedridden with a fever for a few days already, and for some reason his chest kept aching, though the doctor said he didn't seem to be catching cold. Cecil didn't really understand all this, but he instinctively felt that if he was going to do it, he'd have to do it now, before all his nerve and strength deserted him.

Erika gave him a piercing look and tapped her foot impatiently. She was holding a stack of papers and seemed to be in a hurry. She hadn't been cruel to him since she'd started looking after him, but she hadn't been particularly affectionate either. She made sure he was fed and changed properly, but she paid little attention to him once she had him in her office. She just wanted to get her work done and found him an unpleasant distraction to that end.

"No. Come, milord doesn't want you going out." She gripped his hand and dragged him away, muttering to herself about how she wasn't trained to look after a child.

"Now, arrows and paperwork, _that_ I can deal with," she said under her breath, but her hand was vice-like and Cecil couldn't pull away if he tried.

 _Grandma...! Help!_

Still, no one answered.

* * *

Time seemed to go on forever, but Thena never seemed to wake up. That was strange; normally dreams had their own sense of time, but this was much too long. And she couldn't make herself leave either. She had no control, and it made her nervous.

 _What if I can't ever get out?_ she thought, feeling rather panicky. _What if I can never see Daddy or Mama again? Or Auntie or Uncle, or Lanra?_

She didn't dare head past the woods, where the voices were whispering. No matter how hard she strained her ears, she couldn't make out what they were saying, and she was too unnerved to leave the clearing. She almost wished she could meet someone, anyone.

 _Even Sheila... then I'll beat her up,_ Thena thought angrily, remembering the times she'd seen her mother fight with her sword. But at the thought of Sheila, something changed. A sound beyond the forest seemed to become clearer, and she could just make out a small voice calling for help. It was vaguely familiar.

"C-Cecil?!" she called, surprised at her brother's cry. She took a tentative step forward.

 _"Help!"_

"Over here!" she shouted, but he continued to cry. He didn't seem to be able to hear her.

 _If he's in the dream, he should be able to hear,_ she thought, confused. She'd never had trouble being heard in a dream before. Before she knew it, she was at the very edge of the trees. The group of voices remained indistinguishable, except for Cecil's.

"Cecil!"

No reply.

"He must be awake," she said, disappointed. Though she could hear people's thoughts, even in her sleep, they could only hear _her_ if they were asleep themselves or if they were telepathic and she directly tried to contact them. If she picked up on someone's voice while they were awake, she normally couldn't contact them.

Then an odd thought struck her.

 _Wait..._ she frowned at the trees and laid a hand on a thick trunk. Cecil was supposed to be miles away; didn't her mother tell her that they were going to the castle? Didn't her father say that Cecil lived there?

 _I'm not s'posed to hear anyone who's too far away... except for Daddy._

Even then, her father wasn't an exception; though she could speak to him from a distance when she was awake, Livi himself still had to be asleep and in a dream to receive her messages. If he was awake, she couldn't hear his thoughts until he was nearby.

But if Cecil was awake and couldn't hear her respond, then either she was closer to him than she thought, or something strange was going on.

"Cecil!" she shouted again, but like before, there was no direct reply. He merely continued to call for help in a panicked voice.

 _Sh-should I keep going?_ She looked behind her nervously, but the clearing remained as empty as ever. _O-okay... I'm a big sister, like Auntie Kara... And big sisters help little sisters and little brothers, right...?_

She slapped her cheeks gently to give herself a bit of courage. _Okay._

"Cecil! Wait for me!"

* * *

He was still trying to get free from Erika's grip when someone spoke to him.

 _"Cecil!"_

He froze, startled. He looked around but he and Erika were alone in the hallway, and no one seemed to be calling for him.

"Who call?" he said aloud, but Erika merely looked at him and frowned.

"No one, don't make up stories." She shook her head in annoyance and continued to read her notes as they walked toward her office, her hand still tightly holding his.

 _"Cecil, can you hear?"_

He blinked. This time he recognized the voice as being in his head, much like when Sheila spoke to him. But the voice didn't belong to his grandmother.

 _Th-Thena-neecha?_

 _"Oh, you got my name right this time."_

 _Why neecha here?!_

 _"Dunno, I heard you calling so I came. There's a puddle thingy, I can kind of see through it and hear you in it."_

 _Where grandma?_

He heard Athene make a hissing sound.

 _"Is she still here?! Don't listen to her Cece, she's bad!"_

 _Grandma no bad!_ he thought indignantly. _She want to help Daddy!_

 _"She's bad, she wants to hurt you!"_

 _Thena liar!_ He unconsciously tried to pull away from Erika again, feeling as if he could get loose, he could get away from Thena's voice as well.

 _"Am not! But anyway, didn't you want help? Is someone kitnapping you?!"_

As usual, he had no idea what his sister was saying.

 _Go away, trying to help Lily,_ he thought as he dug his heels into the marble floor. Erika pulled his arm so hard in response that he cried aloud.

"Enough! Behave or I'll hand you over to your grandfather. Do you want that?!" she shouted, shaking him none too gently.

Cecil started to cry.

 _"You dummy! Don't cry, she'll just get angry!"_ Thena said hurriedly. Cecil paid her no attention, he was too upset.

"Bloody _hell_ , stop it, you hear me?!" Erika yelled, obviously lost as to what to do with a crying child. "Stop right this instant!"

"Erika-sama?"

A young butler made his way down the hallway toward them. He was one of the castle staff and Cecil thought he sounded a bit familiar, though he couldn't recognize him through his blurry vision.

"Oh, Sororu. Is something the matter?" Erika's tone changed dramatically, though it was still clear that she was in a bad mood.

"No ma'am, I merely heard the young master crying. Is everything alright?"

Erika sighed. "I don't know. I have no idea what's wrong with him."

The boy crouched down to Cecil's height.

"Hello, young master. Did something happen? Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked kindly.

Cecil shook his head but continued to wail.

 _"Wait, this is good! He can save you from the kitnapper!"_ Thena urged, but Cecil was still confused about what she was getting at.

"Is there something you wanted?"

"She-Sheshil wanna go out!" he bawled, clutching his toy. Sororu reached out and patted his head.

"There, there, young master. No need to cry," he said gently. He looked up to Erika, who seemed to be trying to drown out Cecil's shrill screaming. "If you don't mind, ma'am, I can look after the young master for a while. I'm sure you have a lot to do."

"Well... It's against milord's orders," she said uncertainly. "But... I do have to work out the contract between the miners in Riolt and the Lake Province... and there's several treaties pending review..."

"I'll keep him out of the way of the Earl, ma'am," Sororu said knowingly. "Children need fresh air from time to time, but I'll have him back before milord notices a thing."

She gave in. "Very well, I'll trust him to you, Sororu. Go." She turned and made her way back to her office alone.

"There we go, poor thing. Miss Erika isn't a bad person, but she's very stern." Sororu noted. "Nothing like you're used to, I'm sure. Now, young master, you wanted to go to the gardens, yes?" he asked, offering his hand to Cecil.

 _"Oh good, he seems like a nice person,"_ Thena said, relieved. _"I'm sure you can get where you wanted now."_

The child sniffled and took the older boy's hand.

* * *

Nike stirred, groaning, and turned to find Livi fast asleep at her side. His mouth was slightly open, the dark circles under his eyes still visible against his pale skin.

 _He must be exhausted,_ she thought dimly, stifling a yawn. _He hasn't slept in days._

She wasn't sure what had woken her, but she guessed she'd only been asleep for an hour or two. The sounds of people moving about outside, of armor clanking noisily and horses neighing, were still clearly audible even through the canvas of the tent. A bit of sunlight shone through the material, and the air was warm. Her rain clouds must have dissipated some time ago.

Careful not to wake Livi, she sat up on the bedding slowly, trying to make out Athene's figure in the relative darkness of the tent. She was on her own bedding, just next to her parents' but she had barely moved at all since Kara had managed to remove her earrings. It was an unnatural sleep, and Nike was worried sick.

 _I'm sorry sweetheart,_ she thought guiltily, sweeping back the girl's bangs. She hated going away from Thena for even a moment, but she was needed on the front lines. If she could, she'd stay by her daughter at all times and tend to her herself; she had never been much fond of leaving others to raise her child. As a baby, Nike had fed, cleaned, soothed, and played with Athene herself. In the duchy, Neil had only tutored the girl, and Lanra was more of a companion to Nike than Thena's nurse. It was only after leaving that Nike had been forced to leave Thena in the care of others, and she felt like a terrible mother for it, no matter what the reasons.

She touched the girl's ears gingerly, lamenting the wounds on the lobes where the earrings had torn through. They'd scabbed over but they still looked terrible, even in the low light.

"It wasn't your fault."

She jumped, her heart in her throat.

 _"Livi!_ Don't do that!"

She looked over her shoulder to find him looking tiredly at her. He hadn't moved a muscle, so she hadn't realized he was awake.

"Sorry," he said. "I thought you might be feeling guilty about what happened to her."

"... How did you know?"

"Because it's the kind of thing you'd worry about. And it's the kind of thing a parent would do when something bad happens to their child," he said, covering up a yawn. "But in Athene's case, we don't know what's wrong with her, so you shouldn't blame yourself."

"That's easy enough for you to say," she said, and she knew she sounded sharper than she meant to. He looked slightly hurt.

"Nike..."

She closed her eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean it."

"I know you think I don't care about her as much as you do... and maybe you're right. I wasn't there to care for her or help you when you both needed it," he said, sitting up slowly. "But I _do_ know what it's like to worry as a parent, and I worry about Athene just as much as I worry about Cecil. So I know what it feels like to blame yourself over something you can't help."

Nike looked away from those sharp blue eyes and cupped Thena's cheek.

"I know... I just... wish there was something I could do for her."

He hugged her from behind, his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder. He felt warm and familiar.

"You're already doing everything you can. You're a wonderful mother, Nike."

"Are you just saying that so you can get something in return?" she asked suspiciously. He looked genuinely surprised.

"Do I look like the type of husband who would use empty flattery to get what he wants?"

"Definitely."

"Hmph, shows how much you know," he sniffed, insulted. "I meant every word. I always mean everything I say."

She giggled to herself and fell silent for a moment.

"Do... do you really think I'm a good mother?"

"Mm. After all, there's no such thing as a perfect parent, Nike."

"I guess you're right..."

"Athene loves you, you know. She wouldn't stop talking about you, back when we met. Even when she was bad-mouthing you, she did it with this ridiculously proud tone," he laughed at the memory. "I wasn't sure if she was complaining or showing off."

"This little demon," Nike said, clicking her tongue at Thena's cheek. "That sounds just like her."

"I've heard most everyone from the duchy call her that," he chuckled. "It's appropriate."

"Well, she is _your_ child after all."

"And yours."

Nike raised her hand to touch his over her shoulder. He interlaced his fingers with hers and they both sat there, just watching Thena in her strange sleep.

* * *

Sororu brought Cecil out to the garden after a quick lunch. Cecil wasn't sure how to get away from his supervision, but Thena was quick and suggested he ask to play hide and seek. Less than ten minutes later, he had hurried out of sight and down the length of wall he'd explored previously while Sororu searched for him among the roses.

 _"Is there anything important this way?"_ Thena asked, confused.

 _Grandma showed. Lily here,_ he explained. At the mention of Sheila, Thena once again made that hissing noise, but this time she said nothing. A moment later she asked another question.

 _"What's a lily?"_

 _Um, girl. She in dark place and grandma say Lily im-im..._

 _"Important?"_

 _Uh huh._

 _"Oh, wait... is this that girl that Sheila said was keeping some important people from helping mama?"_

 _Ya. Sheshil have to help, and then daddy safe._

 _"Right..."_ She still sounded terribly distrustful, but Cecil didn't understand why she suddenly claimed that Sheila was lying.

He stopped to catch his breath. He didn't recognize the area as well as he'd hoped; it had been a few weeks now since he'd found the place that Sheila had indicated to him.

 _"Is it around here?"_

 _Uhm, think so._ He ran his hand over the stone and kept walking. A few minutes later he found what he was looking for; a grate just large enough for him to slip through and a white mark scratched out by a rock.

 _"This place?"_

He didn't bother to reply. He was overcome with a terrible coughing fit and fell to his knees.

 _"Cecil? CECIL!"_ Her voice was suddenly cut off.

* * *

"Milady! It's an emergency!"

Neil hurried into the tent, glasses askew. Nike didn't wait for him to elaborate before she threw the covers aside and grabbed her rapier's sheathe.

"How many men, from what direction?" she barked, pulling on her chain mail and tying her hair back.

Livi tripped as he tried to get up. He swore loudly.

"They've sent a force to flank us from the west," Neil explained, handing Nike a missive. "Our scouts caught sight of them, they'll be on us in less than half an hour."

"Get Luna and Kitra. Kara if you can find her. Fortis and Falaha are still wounded so leave them to rest." She followed Neil to the tent opening but paused before she stepped out. She looked back at Livi and Athene. He was pulling his shoes on as quickly as he could, and for the first time since the siege had begun, a feeling of dread filled her at the thought of going into battle.

 _I may never come back to you... to either of you. I'm sorry._

"Livi..." He looked up and she swallowed the knot in her throat. She came toward him and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I love you. Look after Thena for me," she said simply, and she knew by the forlorn look in his eyes that he understood the unspoken implication.

 _Look after her if I don't come back._

She kissed him, but when he tried to hold on, she shook him off and hurried away.

* * *

 **Notes:** I started this chapter with a very specific point in mind and then I wrote a lot without ever actually GETTING to the point, ha. I guess you're getting one more chapter added to the final count.

I'm always ecstatic to hear what you have to say about ALoI so if you have the time, please drop me a comment, and as always, thanks so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	27. Hope and a Farewell

Unlike the rest of the capital, the Royal Guard found itself with little to do during the siege. They didn't count as part of the standing army; their role was to defend the castle and the royal family. Since the castle was at the center of the city, there was nothing to defend from until the Queen's army broke through the inner wall.

Violetta took this chance to follow whatever leads she had on her sister's location, but nothing seemed to come of it. Wherever Dainer was keeping her, Lilian was out of Violetta's jurisdiction, and she didn't have the time to scour the city in search of her.

 _There's always a chance they've taken her to one of his estates,_ she thought moodily as she walked through the palace grounds on her usual patrol route. _If they have, I'll never be able to get her out on my own. And the siege isn't going well for Their Majesties... I need to be able to move freely to help them, dammit..._

If she could just shake herself free of the bonds to Dainer, she could rally the Royal Guard to the queen's side. They were ideally placed within the Inner Wall to create confusion and open the gates for the army, but if Lilian couldn't be found...

 _They'll be defeated before we can help._

She clenched her fists, lost in her anger, and turned the corner into the northern gardens. It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't alone.

"Y-young master!"

She vaguely recognized the king's son, but there was something terribly wrong. The child was on his hands and knees, and there was an awful hacking and wheezing coming from his small lungs. As Violetta ran forward to help, she realized that there was a copious amount of blood splattered over the dirt and on his hands.

Her heart almost stopped; she'd essentially raised her own sister, and she had a soft spot for children. Worse, though she hardly knew Livi's son, she knew that the king would be devastated if the boy died, and even more so if he died on her watch. Even a bastard was still part of the royal family, after all.

"Oh gods!" she cried, kneeling to pick him up. She had to get him to the royal doctor immediately. But before she could lift his trembling body from the ground, he pushed her hands away with an unnatural force.

"No!" he shouted, before falling to his coughing once more. A trickle of blood issued from the corner of his mouth.

"Young master, you're ill! I have to-" but the boy suddenly turned his eyes on her with such a force of will that Violetta was unable to speak. They weren't a child's eyes; they were deep and understanding, and he seemed to suddenly regain some of his strength. The coughing stopped for a moment.

"Lily there," he said suddenly, and his tone was completely different than it had been. "She there!" he repeated urgently, pointing at the grate.

"Wh-what?"

But he seemed to have lost his ability to speak. His eyes grew unfocused and he began to cough again, his face white as a sheet.

She immediately scooped him up and prepared to carry him back to the castle when something caused her to freeze where she stood.

"Vio-Violetta?!"

She whipped her head around, looking for the speaker, but there was no one nearby.

"Violetta! Sister!" Her heart pounded in her chest.

 _"Lilian?!"_

"Here, I'm over here!" came the familiar voice. But it sounded odd, as if it were coming from a way off, and echoing. Her eyes were drawn to the grate, and she realized that it was a small tunnel for draining water. She fell to her knees and clutched at the bars. It was much too small for her to fit through.

"Lilian! Where are you?!" she shouted, desperate.

"The dungeon," came the echo after a moment. "Violetta, help!"

"I-I'll be there right away!" Violetta swore. She got to her feet and hurried back toward the palace, Cecil breathing heavily over her shoulder.

First, she had to get to the doctor. Then, she would get her sister.

* * *

There was nothing Livi could do as he heard the battle unfold from camp. He resisted the urge to watch from the edge of the woods; as much as he hated the thought of Nike risking her life out there without him, he had his own part to play in the siege, and there was no time to waste. As soon as Nike, Kitra, Luna, and Kara set out to meet the enemy force, he retreated to his maps and diagrams, frantically trying to puzzle out a strategy to get them through the wall.

"What if we tried to get in through one of the other three gates?" Fortis asked, frowning at the map on the table. He was still injured, so he couldn't fight, and he'd volunteered to help Livi with the plans.

"No matter which gate we try to get through, they have the manpower to defend it," Livi replied, shaking his head.

"Then, how would it be if we tried to force more than one gate at a time?"

"You mean split our forces?"

"Yes, if we took half of our men and tried to get through the Northern gate while the other half remained here at the Southern one..."

"I don't think it will do us much good," Livi sighed. "While it would definitely force them to send men to the North to defend, their numbers are completely different from ours. They can spare a few thousand for every gate, if they have to. Meanwhile, we lose a lot of our strength by splitting up. Imagine the slaughter we'll be in for if they see we've become severely weakened."

"Hmm, that's true... all they'd have to do to wipe us out is open the gates and have at us..."

"Right. At this point it seems to be a question of whether we want to die slowly, having them pick us off little by little, or if we want to die in a huge wave," he snorted bitterly.

"Don't say that, Your Highness. I'm sure we'll figure _something_ out," Fortis said gently.

"We have no choice. If we don't figure something out, we're all dead," Livi said, covering his eyes with his hand.

* * *

Talea hadn't thought much of the echoing voice in the dungeon, at first. It wasn't unusual for them to be able to hear the voices of passing guards outside their cell windows or through the water grates. Lilian explained that because the prison was underground and the walls were made of stone, voices echoed a bit farther than normal. It hadn't done her much good calling for help over the years, however, so eventually she'd given up. Talea wouldn't have even bothered to try; everyone probably already knew she was imprisoned, after all.

But that afternoon, when a concerned-sounding voice came through one of the water grates, Lilian had fallen silent, straining to hear.

"What is it?" Talea asked, but the girl's voice immediately hissed at her to be quiet. They strained their ears, listening.

 _"You're ill!"_ came the faint voice, and they thought they heard the sound of coughing. A high pitched voice suddenly insisted something, but it was distorted and hard to make out. A moment later the first voice asked something, and Talea heard Lilian's feet echoing through her cell.

"Vio-Violetta?!" she shouted, and at the name Talea recognized the voice as Captain Rootwick's.

There was no reply.

"Violetta! Sister!"

 _Oh, now that makes sense,_ Talea thought. She'd never been told the name of Lilian's sister, but in retrospect she'd always thought the woman sounded vaguely familiar.

 _"Lilian?!"_

"Here, I'm over here!" Lilian cried.

 _"Lilian! Where are you?!"_

"The dungeon. Violetta, help!"

 _"I-I'll be there right away!"_ They heard the sound of feet pounding away, and then silence.

"Talea, Rosalind, we're saved!" Lilian said, scrambling back toward the grate between their cells.

"I don't think Rosalind and I can get out, but thank goodness, your sister has found you," Talea said, smiling rather wistfully.

"Why not? My sister'd never leave you two behind!"

"It's my father's orders," Talea sighed. "I'm sure she can't disobey."

"My sister ain't got a lick of loyalty for your father," Lilian said fiercely. "She's on'y loyal to the King, and she on'y took this post 'cause the princess asked her to."

"Yes, but..." Talea hadn't ever seen Violetta defy her father while in the castle, and Livi had hinted to her that she was likely being blackmailed by the Earl, though she'd never found out what it was he was using against her.

"Don't ya see?! She'll come for me, and then she can help you too!"

 _Oh... of course! What a fool I've been; Lilian is the hostage!_

But a moment later her excitement was subdued by a heavy, sinking feeling in her stomach.

"How is she going to get us out? It's one thing to open the cells, but another to get us out of the castle without being seen..." Rosalind said, voicing Talea's doubts.

"Don't worry, my sister will figure it out," Lilian said. Her voice was so assured that even Talea began to feel a bit hopeful.

* * *

Thena wasn't sure how long she'd been unconscious, but when she finally opened her eyes, she realized she was in the dream clearing again. She sat up immediately, but there was no sign of Cecil's pool, or of anyone else. The faint sound of voices was still audible beyond the trees, but she couldn't distinguish any of them.

"Ce-Cece?" she asked tentatively, but there was no response.

 _What happened to him? Is he okay?!_ she wondered, frightened. She'd never seen so much blood before, and she had no idea what had severed her connection to him either. It had been as if someone had pulled her away, or pushed her aside, but she hadn't had time to see who it was before she lost consciousness.

She had to get to him, to help him, but without his voice to lead her to the right pool, she wouldn't be able to speak with him. If she wanted to save Cecil, she'd have to wake up.

She closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to leave the dream, but nothing happened.

"Argh!" she shouted, slamming her hands against the nearest tree trunk. "How do I get out of here?!"

"You don't."

She spun around, her heart in her throat. A girl was standing just behind her, a very familiar girl with the same shade of black hair. If Athene had never owned a mirror, she would have assumed the girl was a stranger; but Thena was a princess, and she'd seen her own reflection many times.

"Yo-you're me!"

The girl turned her head slightly and blinked.

"In a sense." Her eyes seemed to shift in color, from Thena's own vibrant green to a deeper, almost bluish shade. "I'm the part of you that calls the rain," the girl explained.

"I can't call rain," Thena protested. "I only know wind."

"Because you haven't learned. But you can call it, and much more besides."

Thena swallowed.

"Are you a spirit?"

"Yes... and no. All practitioners of Amefurashi have a bit of the rain within them. It's what allows them to use their powers. I am your rain. The part of your soul that is connected to your ancestors' magic."

"I don't get it," the princess frowned.

"You don't have to," the other girl said. "It changes nothing."

There was a strange silence.

"Do you know why I'm stuck here?" Thena finally asked. The girl's face remained passive.

"Of course. I'm keeping you here."

"What?! Why?!"

"Because you'll die if you go."

"Huh?"

"The storm," she said simply. "You called the storm. You called me, in order to fight your grandmother. I had no choice but to respond. But you're too young to weather the storm. I can't be held back by your voice alone."

Thena remembered that terrible, violent storm that had almost killed her. She shuddered.

"That was you?"

"It was, and it is. You called on power too strong for you, and now it can't be held back."

"But it went away..."

"No, it was merely contained," the girl shook her head. "Your mother and aunt cast a spell to suppress me. But they aren't powerful enough to keep me contained forever. As soon as you wake up, the seal on me will break and I will consume you."

Though the words the girl used were too advanced, even for Thena, she understood.

"So... if I wake up, you'll come back," she said, shaking despite herself.

"Yes. Your soul isn't strong enough to contain me by itself, and you will die. Others will too. You mustn't leave."

"Ever?"

"Ever," she said firmly.

* * *

It was getting late quickly, and Nike's muscles were screaming for a proper rest. But unlike the siege at the wall, there was no option to retreat this time. The force sent to flank them was on the attack, and losing here would, at best, mean surrender. At worst, it would mean death.

"Luna, we need the cavalry at the front!" she shouted behind her. _We're being run down, we have to stop it_.

"Understood!" came Luna's voice, almost completely drowned out by the sound of shouting and clashing metal. Nike half-wiped her forehead with her sleeve and gave a battle cry as she lunged forward toward another enemy. A blow glanced off her chain mail, though it still managed to wind her. She stepped back to regain her breath before quickly moving forward with a series of slashes.

"Nike, look out!"

There was a sound like a clap of thunder and a terrible pain ripped through her shoulder. She looked down to see her shield arm hanging uselessly at her side, a blossom of red soaking through her shirt.

"Ugh!" she cried, clutching the wound. It burned, and she couldn't move her arm at all. _So this... is what it's like... to be shot...!_

 _"Nike!"_ She heard rather than saw Kitra run up to her. He deftly killed the man with the pistol and turned to fight her opponent before he could take advantage of her injury. "Hurry, get back! Go!" he shouted, fiercely slashing at the soldier.

"No, I can't... ugh..."

"GO!"

It was the last thing he ever said; a moment later he was stabbed through the stomach and he went deathly pale. The soldier pulled his sword out and Kitra fell to his knees, swaying. He coughed, a thin trickle of blood falling from his lips, and a moment later he dropped to the ground, his eyes open but forever unseeing.

 _"KITRA! KITRA!"_

Someone dragged Nike away from her cousin's body, but her heart was so broken and her eyes so blurred by tears that she couldn't recognize who it was.

* * *

The stars were beginning to come out when the battle finally broke and Livi heard the sound of a horn, signalling a retreat.

 _It doesn't sound as deep as Kitra's horn_ , he thought, the knot in his stomach loosening slightly. _Did we manage to fight them off?_

He got up from his chair and sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Fortis had fallen asleep a while ago, so he walked over to the makeshift chaise and shook him awake.

"Huh?" the older man asked groggily.

"The battle's over," Livi said.

"Who won?"

"I'm not sure. I think we did."

Fortis sat up, wincing at his injury. "I hope they're alright. With both me and Falaha out of commission..." he let the thought trail off, but Livi knew what he meant to say. _Without any really experienced leaders, the army is currently being led purely by royalty._

"They're fine," Livi said firmly.

"Yes... I suppose you're right, Your Majesty." Fortis sighed. Livi had to remind himself that he wasn't the only man in the army whose wife was out fighting alone.

"Come on, we'll go meet them," Livi said, offering his shoulder. Fortis took it and used it to support his weight, and the two of them began to walk from the tent.

The camp was mostly empty; only the few servants they'd brought were left behind, and Livi spotted Lanra carrying a bucket of water to Athene's tent. A few wounded soldiers sat around, looking grim, though they all saluted as Livi and Fortis walked by. It was a rather sorry atmosphere, but Livi tried not to dwell on it.

It wasn't long after they began to go through the woods that they began to see the returning men and women. They all looked exhausted, and many of them were bleeding. Some were dragging their friends along, and more than once Livi saw groups of people trying to carry a corpse back.

"This is terrible," Fortis said quietly.

"It is... I've been to war before- or rather, I've overseen wars... but this is different," Livi said, watching a young man sob over his friend's body. "This is how the countries we defeated must have felt..."

"It hardly looks like we won, does it?"

"Maybe it's because we're no closer to our goal, and we've lost so much on the way," Livi replied.

"I see the Queen's standa- something is wrong," Fortis said suddenly. Livi thought his heart would stop.

"Nike, is Nike-?!" He didn't need to ask any further. Just ahead, they saw her standard, the banner lowered to half-mast. Luna rode in front, but she looked dispirited, her hair hanging loose around her face. Nike and Kara weren't riding at all; they were walking, a body carried haphazardly between them. Livi's heart fell through his stomach.

"Kitra."

"Oh no," Fortis said, letting go of Livi's shoulder. They waited for the women to reach them, and as soon as they did, Fortis reached for Luna's hand. She dismounted and threw herself into his arms, sobbing, and he closed his eyes tightly, as if he could hold her together by mere force of will. Neither of them had known Kitra very well, but they had still worked and fought alongside him for weeks. That was enough to grieve over him.

But Kara and Nike were beyond grief. Kitra was their cousin, and Livi saw the ragged pain in their eyes as they carried his body together. They were both badly injured and hardly seemed to be holding on, but when some soldiers offered to help carry Kitra, they refused.

"We have to do it," Kara said, her voice trembling. "It's tradition."

Both were openly crying, their faces streaked with fresh tears. Livi met Nike's eyes and he knew she couldn't see him. She was too lost in her pain.

He joined their procession back to camp without a word.

* * *

The dungeons were one of the few places in the castle where Violetta's authority wasn't worth much. She had keys for the cells, but it wasn't her job to know who was imprisoned and when. The jail keeper usually oversaw that himself, but she suspected that Dainer had manipulated things so that Lilian's imprisonment would be kept from everyone but his own men.

 _I can't believe she's been under my nose this whole time!_ she berated herself angrily as she hurried down to the dungeons. She'd left Cecil with the doctor, and after staying long enough to make sure he would be alright, she'd returned to her office for her keys. _It should have been the first place I checked, but I never thought his influence would have reached here three years ago!_

She threw open the door to the dungeons, taking three steps down the stairs at a time.

 _I have to get her out of there and hurry to the queen's aid._

"Halt!"

A guard at the foot of the stairs held up his sword, frowning at her in the dim light.

"State your-"

"Get out of the way," she barked, pulling her revolver from her pocket and aiming it squarely between his eyes.

"C-captain?!" He dropped his weapon, clearly shocked. "What's going-"

"Whose orders are you under?!" she hissed, pressing the barrel to his temple. The man instantly went pale.

"Y-yours, ma'am!"

"Yet you never told me a girl was being kept here for the past three years?!"

"I-I was told you knew, ma'am! She was a thief His Majesty had put in jail-"

"Who told you that?"

"L-Lady Erika, ma'am!"

Violetta jerked slightly. _Erika?! But she was Princess Nike's-_

Something clicked into place.

 _She's a traitor... a spy...!_

"Who else knows about this?!" she insisted, shaking the man slightly.

"N-No one!"

"Good, tell anyone and I'll have you arrested for treason," she snarled. "You're relieved of your duties."

The man scrambled up the stairs in terror, but Violetta didn't bother to put her pistol away.

"Lilian!" she shouted into the dark corridor. Her voice echoed loudly off the stone walls.

"Violetta?!"

She turned to the right and followed her sister's voice. "Where are you?!"

"Over here!"

A pale hand waved from between the bars of a cell and Violetta hurriedly pulled her keys free from her pocket.

Lilian was almost completely unrecognizable. Her face and clothes were filthy, and her black hair was so long and matted that it resembled brambles. She'd outgrown her ragged clothes, and she was paper thin. But Violetta didn't care; as soon as she unlocked the door, she pulled her sister into a tight embrace.

"Oh thank the gods," she said, burying her face in the girl's dirty hair. "I thought I'd never see you again, Lilian!"

"I knew you'd come," Lilian said, her bony arms tight around her sister's neck. Violetta allowed herself one more moment before pulling away.

"Hurry, we have to get you out of the castle before anyone notices you're missing."

"Wait! You 'ave to help my friends!" Lilian said, and she hurried out of the cell and to the one next door. "Talea, Rosalind, I told ya she'd come!"

"Lady Talea?!" Violetta immediately saw that Lilian was right. Both she and her maid looked weary and severely undernourished, but it was undoubtedly His Majesty's lover.

"Cecil, how is he?!" she asked, clinging to the bars as Violetta searched for the right key.

A pang went through her. She didn't want to make Talea panic; though the boy had coughed up quite a bit of blood, the doctor could find nothing wrong with him. He merely thought he might have been catching a cold.

"He... he's fine, milady," she lied. She had a job to do, and the faster Lilian and the others were out of the castle, the faster she could mobilize the Royal Guard against Dainer. "He's safe, and I promise I'll have him to you soon, but right now I need to get you all out of the palace. There's a secret passage through the castle wall from the jail keeper's office, we'll go through there. The city is at war and I need to help His Majesty, but I can't while Lilian is in danger."

"War?!" Rosalind asked, stricken.

"Yes, miss. Ginitarix is under siege."

* * *

 **Notes:**

I just spent the last two weeks writing a series of short stories for Fire Emblem's Chrobin Week and I'm exhausted! I didn't expect to finish this chapter so soon after that, but I guess I was feeling a bit inspired. I hope it's coherent.

Currently, I'm planning to have 30 chapters total, which means there's only three more left. That might change, but I think it's a fair estimate.


	28. A Torrent

Cecil was having trouble breathing. He'd been feeling sluggish for weeks, and the ever-present pain in his chest seemed to be getting worse. The doctor seemed to be at a loss; there had been a lot of blood, but his symptoms didn't seem much different from a cold's. He prescribed several herbs for infections and lung problems and sent for Erika to take him to his room.

He was barely conscious through all of this; he wouldn't have understood regardless, but Sheila did, and Sheila listened carefully. She had been lurking in the depths of his consciousness since Athene had confronted her, guilt and shame filling her with self-hatred. She knew it was too late for Cecil, no matter what she did, but she still struggled to come to terms with the choice she'd made.

 _I know... I know that Cecil will die no matter what I do. The only difference would have been whether he died now, or died in a few years after losing everyone he cares about. That's why I decided to end it now, to save at least Livi... But that doesn't mean it was a justified choice._

As a mother, she understood that Livi meant more to her than Cecil did. She loved Cecil, she was part of him, but he wasn't _hers_ either. That only made her feel worse.

 _Have I chosen to kill another child in my own child's place? Is that all it is? Will I willingly kill another woman's little boy just to save my own?_

 _If I have... is that so wrong?_

She didn't know. And as soon as Cecil began to cough up blood, she realized she didn't have the luxury to dwell on the past. She had made her choice, and now she had to go through with it.

Cecil didn't have much longer, after all, and Livi was still in danger.

* * *

Violetta hurried through the passage in the castle wall, running her hands along the stones as she searched for the concealed door that she knew was somewhere nearby. Lilian and the others followed in silence, nerves on high alert for the sound of any guards or soldiers on patrol.

"Here, found it," Violetta said suddenly, her fingernails catching in a thin groove between the mortar. She pushed the wall hard, at an angle, and the door slid out of sight, leaving a very thin opening out into fresh air. A bit of sunlight shone through, and all three of the former prisoners had to shield their eyes against it.

"Where do we go from here?" Talea asked.

"Away from the palace," Violetta said simply. "There's still the moat to cross, but there's a blind spot near the woods where you can swim across without the guards on the wall noticing you. Get to the other side, and hide in the city somewhere until the battle is over."

"I thought the battle was outside the city?" Rosalind asked, looking nervous.

"It is, but it won't be for long," Violetta said grimly. "The Royal Guard will be flying its true colors tomorrow."

"You're not betraying His Majesty?!" Talea cried, shocked.

"No, the opposite," she said proudly. "I'm returning to his service. He's leading the invasion."

Talea looked confused, but before she could ask, Violetta pushed her through the opening.

"No time to explain, just go! If you want His Majesty to be able to act freely, you need to get out of the castle, now!"

She didn't give the noblewoman time to reply. She pushed Lilian and Rosalind after her and began to pull the door shut.

"Sister! Be careful!" Lilian called in an urgent whisper.

"I will, stay safe," Violetta replied. A moment later, the wall returned to its usual appearance, as if there had never been a door there at all.

* * *

That night, it rained throughout the capital.

It was a gentle, warm rain that soaked through clothes and clung to one's skin. It pattered quietly on the cobblestones, filling the air with longing and grief. Without stopping, without letting up, the rain fell all through the night, murmuring the names of all who had fallen in the battle.

Kara and Nike took turns singing, but neither left Kitra's side. He had been laid out on a mat in the center of camp with the other dead, his brown hair lank and wet, his clothes bloodied and torn. Nike had closed his eyes and lain his sword over his body, his hands clasped around the hilt. Had it not been for rigor mortis or the terrible wound in his abdomen, he might have looked like he was only sleeping.

 _I'm sorry, Kitra... You died for me,_ Nike wept, her tears mingling with the rain on his face as Kara's haunting lament threaded through the air. She swept his hair away from his cheeks, trying not to look down at the wound. _You only came to the mainland to fight for me, for me and Thena... If I'd stayed home... If only we'd stayed home!_

"Nike..."

Falaha's hand rested gently on Nike's shoulder, but she didn't look up.

"I know what you're thinking," Falaha said quietly. "You're blaming yourself. You're thinking, 'If only I'd moved faster, or beaten my opponent, or never come at all...' But that's not true, Nike. Kitra... no, all of us... we all knew this was going to be dangerous. We're all prepared to die out here."

"He... he was against coming back," Nike said, her voice shaking. "He wanted us all to stay in the Duchy... to forget about Livi and the Sun Kingdom... If we had...!"

"If you hadn't come, you would have regretted it for the rest of your life," Falaha said firmly. "It was the same when you were in the Sand Empire all those years ago. I remember... Without the Sun King, you're lost, Nike. And without you, this country, as well as its king, would fall to pieces. I've seen it happen these past three years. You need each other. For yourselves, and for the sake of the people of this kingdom, you had to come back. Kitra knew this, deep down, you know he did."

"I..."

"Nike! Listen to me!" Falaha knelt in the mud next to her, and Nike saw her flinch slightly at her injury. Still, she took hold of Nike's shoulders and forced her to face her. "You probably don't know this, but the Sun Kingdom has been in decline since you left. Prince Irada is concerned; some of the laws His Majesty passed when you were young were overturned. The caste system is being reinstated, the Sun Priests are regaining their power. Money is being diverted from public works and back into plans for war and lining aristocratic pockets. If you hadn't come back, the Sun King wouldn't have been able to do anything about it. You're giving this kingdom a chance, you're giving them hope. Why do you think the militia haven't mobilized against us in the Outer City? They know their queen is back, and they're riding their futures on you and on us. The only reason they haven't joined us is probably out of fear for His Majesty; they don't know you're working together. You're the Empress of the mainland; isn't it your sworn duty to protect the people?"

"But if we lose..."

"There's no time to worry about what might happen. Keep fighting to the very last, or Kitra's death really will have been in vain. Make it mean something, Nike; that's all we can do for him now."

* * *

There was nothing he could say or do to ease Nike's grief. Livi watched the rain fall over her and Kara until neither of them had the strength to continue singing. Even then the rain didn't stop, so Livi left the shelter of the tent to get them out of the rain.

"Come on," he said softly, putting a hand on Kara's shoulder. "You need to rest and dry off."

She didn't reply, merely continued to stare at Kitra's body in numb silence. Livi took her hand and pulled her up, draping her arm around his shoulder. She put up no resistance, merely slumped against him, and he helped her to the tent. Once she was out of the cold, he returned for Nike.

"Nike, come," he said. She shook her head.

"I have to stay," she replied, her voice hoarse.

"You can't, you'll catch ill."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does," he said firmly. "You're the commander of this army. We need you to lead us."

He thought she might argue, but she didn't. She let him lead her away.

* * *

"Captain Rootwick, sir!"

"Lieutenant Bayreuth," Violetta acknowledged loudly over the sound of the rain. Garta Bayreuth saluted from the front of the gathered troops.

"My father will not change his allegiance," he replied. "He is a stubborn man, and he will not change sides unless His Majesty himself commands it."

"I am aware," Violetta said, her hands clasped behind her back. "If all goes well, His Majesty will soon be free to act. But in order for that to happen, we must open the gates for the army."

Several soldiers muttered, but Violetta held up her hand to silence them.

"Choose to believe what you will, but I am loyal only to the crown. I only bow to King Livius and Queen Nike, not to an ambitious dog who would threaten the stability of this kingdom," she barked, eyes flashing.

"Is it true then, sir?" one of the other lieutenants asked, her voice hardly containing her excitement. "Is Queen Nike truly among us?"

"...She is. I've seen her with my own eyes. If you have any doubts, all you need to clear them is to see the clouds above your heads and the drops of rain on your faces."

The Royal Guard burst into excited whispers. _Good, they retained their loyalty for the princess._

"Silence!" she called. "What we do today will be dangerous. We are not a battalion, and we are severely outnumbered until the moment we can get General Bayreuth on our side. We will be fighting our own men this morning, and we may lose many lives. However, what we do, we do for the sake of this country. We are the Sun Kingdom's final line of defense! We are His Majesty's Royal Guard! It is our duty and our pride to lay down our lives and offer our swords to protect him! _Pro populo, pro rex, pro patria! For the people, for the king, for the country!"_

 _"Pro populo, pro rex, pro patria!"_ the men cried in the common tongue.

"To the front lines!" she shouted.

"Yes, sir!" As one, the troops saluted her and began to march from the gates. Bard hurried toward her from the castle.

"Violetta! I brought him," he wheezed as he reached her. Yoru chirped from his perch on Bard's head, and Violetta held out her arm for the golden bird.

"Perfect. Yoru, I need you to get this to His Majesty," she explained, holding up a small leather canister. "Can you find him?"

The bird hooted in the affirmative and stuck out his leg obediently. She tied the canister to it.

"Go, hurry, while the rain still offers you good cover."

Yoru nodded, spread his wings, and took off.

"Bard, I still need you to do one more thing for me."

"What is it?" he asked.

"Get the Dainer boy out of the castle without the Earl noticing."

"Oh yes, and would you like me to turn myself into a cat while I'm at it?" he said sarcastically.

"If you don't get him out, all this is for nothing," she warned. "Don't fail me this time." Before he could reply, she lifted herself up into her saddle and rode off.

* * *

At some point in the early morning, the small vigil in the queen's tent was startled by the sound of a loud shout. Kara and Nike hardly seemed to notice, but Livi immediately got to his feet and hurried to see what the commotion was about. He almost ran headfirst into Neil, who looked positively frantic.

"Neil?! What in the world?!"

"Your Majesty! Urgent- Yoru just arrived- this!" he said, clearly out of breath. He held out a small leather canister and Livi immediately took it. He opened the end and pulled out a roll of parchment.

 _Your Majesty,_ _The hostages have been freed._ _The Royal Guard will open the gates for you from the inside. Prepare your army immediately._ _Violetta_

"Gather the troops," he said as soon as he finished reading. "We're storming the gate, now."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Neil said.

"Livi?" Nike asked, confused. "What happened?"

"Here," he said, tossing her the message. As she and Kara read it, he rummaged in the crates stacked against the walls until he found his pistol and his chainmail.

"You're coming with us?" Nike asked as Kara got to her feet and ran from the tent without a word.

"Yeah, if Talea and Cecil are no longer in Dainer's custody, there's no reason for me to sit around anymore," he said, pulling the mail over his shirt. Outside, they could hear the sounds of soldiers being roused and swords being sharpened.

"Will you command?" she asked. She looked exhausted, and Livi felt a stirring of guilt. He walked over to her and cupped her face, kissing her nose gently.

"No. I wish I could let you rest and grieve properly, but we still need you. This is your army, love. My men are inside those walls, not out here. Those are the men I'll command. Ginitarix needs to be retaken by both of us, together."

She nodded, and though she looked ready to collapse, there was a fierceness in her eyes.

"This ends today," she said firmly.

"It ends today," he agreed.

She pulled his hands away from her face and made for the tent flap. "Livi... don't die out there. I'm still not done being angry at you," she said seriously.

"I didn't think you were," he grinned slightly. "Well, I don't mind. I deserve anything you have planned for me. So make sure you stay alive too, dear wife."

"I'm not dying before I've cut Dainer down with my own two hands," she said, and Livi knew she was thinking of Kitra as her hand clenched the pommel of her rapier tightly.

* * *

Something was wrong. Grey couldn't put his finger on it, but the castle seemed oddly quiet. His instincts on high alert, it didn't take him long to find the source of his uneasiness.

He headed straight for his uncle's office and pounded on the door impatiently.

"Come in," came the familiar drawl.

"Uncle," he said, bowing stiffly before the Earl's desk. "We have a situation."

"Did the army break through the gate?" Dainer asked immediately.

"Not that I know of, sir. But it is equally dire. The Royal Guard has marched."

"Marched? What do you mean?!"

"Before dawn this morning, Captain Rootwick gathered her men and persuaded them to turn traitor on us. They've left to aid the Rain Duchy's forces."

"WHAT?!"

"It gets worse," Grey said grimly. "Your daughter has escaped."

Dainer slammed his hands on the table, his dark eyes glowering.

"She's been nothing but a thorn in my side, the bloody girl! I'll punish her thoroughly for this! What about the boy?" he barked.

"He's also missing, sir."

The Earl hissed through his clenched teeth. Grey would have been amused, had he not also confirmed that Princess Nike truly was leading the enemy. He had no intention of telling his uncle that the woman he'd let live had come back to tear apart his carefully laid plans.

"Still, there's no chance of them getting through the city with the small numbers they're commanding," he muttered, mostly to himself. "Even the addition of the Royal Guard won't be enough to turn the tables... So why do something so desperate...? Unless..." He frowned. "How did my daughter escape?"

"We aren't sure, sir, but we believe Captain Rootwick set her free."

"In which case, she may have done it on a whim, or...," he paused. "Grey," he said sharply.

"Yes, sir?"

"There's a change of plans. We'll be needing your expertise after all."

* * *

Though she'd been fighting non-stop for days and hadn't slept a wink, Nike didn't feel tired. She didn't even feel the wound in her shoulder, though she wasn't able to use her shield arm at all. There was a hot anger in her chest, fueling every movement as she fought her way up to the gate, Kara playing Kitra's part as her second in command. The two sisters worked as one, covering one another and launching themselves into battle with a fury that Nike could only compare to the strongest storms she'd summoned. The rain continued to fall over them, drenching their tunics and obscuring their vision, but it didn't seem to matter to Nike. She merely pressed forward, letting her emotions carry her from one fight to the next.

She couldn't tell what Livi was doing, or if Luna was managing the cavalry well in the mud. She didn't know why arrows weren't flying at them like usual, and she didn't care. The gate was the only thing that mattered, and when it opened, as promised, the battle wore on.

A strange sound filled the air, but she didn't immediately notice it. She cut down the woman she'd been fighting and turned to face her next opponent, only to falter when she realized no one else was moving.

The sound came again, a loud, deep noise that she suddenly recognized as a horn. It was coming from the top of the wall.

 _That's... the call for surrender... isn't it?_ she thought dimly, trying to remember the signals she'd been taught for the Sun Kingdom's army.

She looked up; the rain was beginning to clear, so she could see a faint figure standing at the top of the wall. She was too far to tell who it was, but a moment later a different noise began to echo over the city. It grew louder and louder, until all the Sun Kingdom's men were shouting it at the top of their lungs, around them.

"What are they saying?" Kara called loudly, trying to be heard over the din. Nike listened intently.

"It's the common tongue," she shouted back. "Pro... patria...?"

"What does that mean?" her sister asked. But Nike didn't answer, she could hear the rest of the chant now.

 _"PRO PATRIA, PRO REX, PRO REGINA! FOR THE COUNTRY, FOR THE KING, FOR THE QUEEN!"_

 _Livi._

* * *

 **Notes:**

I don't speak Latin so I'm making my best guess for these, ha. I thought about using Japanese instead, since I've previously used Japanese for the common tongue, but Latin just seemed to fit better.

This chapter is setting up for the events of the next chapter, which is probably going to be a really long one and pretty much the climax of the story. Start placing your bets, ladies and gentlemen. I'll write a one-shot of your choosing for the person who can accurately guess all the characters that die.


	29. A Mother's Heart

When the sun began to shine through the dissipating gray clouds, it was like the world around Nike was reborn. Though blood flowed over the cobblestones and bodies lay strewed across the dirt, weapons were sheathed on all sides. Soldiers of all nationalities began to help carry the wounded and dead away, and former enemies seemed to forget they had been fighting to kill just minutes earlier. The terrible din of clashing metal and agonized screams was replaced by a quiet, sad murmur that pervaded the stillness of the morning.

"It's over...?" Kara asked, her voice hoarse from screaming. She and Nike had been staring blankly around them as the battle came to an end, unable to move. It had ended so suddenly, so dreamlike, that Nike wasn't sure she hadn't died. Even when various soldiers wearing the Sun Kingdom's standards had bowed to her, she'd hardly been paying attention.

"I... don't know..." Nike replied after a moment. A sudden tiredness had come over her, and her shoulder was aching terribly from the gun wound.

"Nike! Kara!"

Luna came running up to the sisters, her gilded breastplate and tunic stained copper with blood. Her hair was tangled and was beginning to come loose from its pins, and there was a long gash on her cheek, still fresh. She seemed no worse for wear, though there was a deep exhaustion in her expression.

"Luna, I'm glad to see you're alright," Nike said, still feeling a bit detached.

"Me? I was worried sick about you! You're still injured after all," she said, concerned. "Thank goodness neither of you got hurt. I just rode back to bring Fortis and the others the news, and he said he'll break up camp and join us at the gate in the next few hours," she reported.

Nike nodded. There was no point in their encampment now, and the injured needed immediate medical attention.

"We did it, Nike," Luna said, taking her friend's hands and squeezing them gently. "Ginitarix is yours again."

"It was brother-in-law who won the day," Kara said. "If it weren't for him, we'd still be fighting." She looked up at the wall, where Livi had been standing when the battle came to an end. "He really is a king; he didn't have to say a word for the men to know they were under his command again."

"He inspires respect in the people," Luna explained. "He's not charismatic like Nike, but they know he works harder than anyone to protect them. Dainer never stood a chance once Livi could openly take command."

"Dainer," Nike repeated, and a heavy weight seemed to drop into her stomach. "No, it's not over yet," she said, clenching her teeth. "It's not over until that bastard is dead."

* * *

Lanra carefully carried the princess in her arms as they walked, looking out over the battlefield that had once been the Grassland District. It had been three years since the maid had seen the city she'd been born and raised in, but this was nothing like she remembered. The grass was gone, replaced by churned mud, the marks of feet and hooves clearly visible like pockmarks. Dead horses and soldiers were everywhere, a terrible smell of rot in the air. Lanra unconsciously pressed Athene's sleeping form to her breast, as if she could shield the little princess from these horrors by blocking them from view.

"This is nothing like the skirmishes I've seen in the Sand Empire," Falaha said, her tone hollow. The wounded and dead in camp had been loaded onto the carts, and she and Fortis were seated in one with several other injured soldiers. Those who could walk, including Lanra, were plodding alongside them.

"A skirmish is not a war, Falaha," Fortis said, solemn. "In a fight with bandits, the goal is to capture or scatter the enemy. In a fight with trained armies, there is no retreat until the surrender is called."

"So many good people, dead, and all for the ambitions of one man," Lanra said bitterly. "These men and women had families, loved ones... Like Lord Kitra, they had bright futures ahead of them..."

"It makes you realize how unfair the world is," Falaha said. "Power, and politics... it's so meaningless in the face of tragedies like these, or like the drought our countries are still fighting. But people like the man behind this massacre don't give a lick for us common folk, shedding blood so that men like him can live on in luxury." She spat outside the wagon angrily.

"Not all the nobility is like this," Fortis said, staring out at the multicolored banners trampled on the fields. "But it only takes one corrupt noble to destroy everything the rest of us have worked to do."

"I know you're not all alike. I'm here, fighting for Nike and the Sun King, aren't I?" Falaha sighed. "And I'd die before I let Prince Irada go into battle without me. But I wish we lived in a world where wars like this never had to be fought."

"As long as there are people in the world, General Falaha, I don't think we've seen the last of conflict," Lanra said, absently stroking Thena's black hair gently. "All we can do is work to prevent them when we can."

"Perhaps someday, royal houses will work out a better system for choosing their successors," Fortis commented, his tone heavy. "Until then, our children will continue to struggle... Mine as much as Luna's nieces and nephews."

"Eh?" Falaha asked, confused. "Aren't you the Marquis of Fortis? I thought Princess Luna wasn't in the Ocean Kingdom's succession anymore?"

"No, but our children will retain rights to the throne, even so."

"Isn't that something you'd only have to worry about when you actually _have_ children?"

"That's exactly my point," he said grimly.

"I was wondering when you were going to say something, Lord Fortis," Lanra sighed. "I'm surprised you let Lady Luna fight in her condition."

"Let her? Dear gods, woman, you don't _let_ Princess Amaluna do things. She does what she pleases, how she pleases," he groaned. "All I could do was beg her to be as careful as possible, and to avoid single combat when she could. I've been mad with worry, being unable to protect her since I got injured. Though, I'd worry no matter what condition she was in," he amended. "I'm surprised you noticed, Lanra."

"It's my job to notice, Lord Fortis."

"Can someone please tell me what you're talking about?" Falaha complained. Fortis and Lanra shared a somewhat bitter smile.

"Luna will tell you later. She's been dying to break the news to Nike-sama as well."

* * *

The battle had broken into the city shortly after dawn. Talea and the others had sought refuge in Lilian's inn; after she had disappeared, Violetta had hired someone to look after their grandfather, so they found the tavern open as usual. The young woman running the place didn't recognize Lilian, but her grandfather did, and no time had been wasted in getting the three underfed prisoners a hearty dinner and a bath. The rest of the night was spent recounting their experiences to the concerned old man, and when the sound of fighting began to echo from the gates in the morning, everyone hurried outside to see what was going on.

The walls were clearly visible, and even from a distance it was possible to see the lowered portcullis and the smoke rising from the gates. It was still raining, but the sound of water on the cobblestones wasn't enough to drown out the dull roar from the south.

"Oh dear, I hope the people near the gate evacuated safely," Lilian's grandfather said.

"I never thought I'd see the day when the gates of Ginitarix would fall," Rosalind said, her blue eyes anxious. She clasped her hands, and Talea knew she was praying to the Sun God.

"Don't worry, Rosalind," Lilian said firmly. "My sister is the one who opened those gates, I know it. She'll have done it for His Majesty's sake, so it can't be something bad."

 _Livi... Is it true? Are you really here?_ Talea thought, digging her nails into her palms. It was so outlandish, why would the Sun King be leading a foreign army _into_ Ginitarix?

"Sir, what do you know about the enemy army?" she asked the old man.

"Hmm, not much..." he frowned, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "We were warned when they broke through the Outer Wall, but we've had no contact with anyone in the Outer City since we began to prepare for the siege. All I know is that it's a mixed army of some kind. Made up of multiple forces. That, and the rumors."

"What rumors?"

"Oh, sorry miss, I suppose you wouldn't have heard in prison... They're saying that the army is being led by a ghost, the ghost of the Sun Queen herself, out to get revenge on the king for planning to remarry."

A knot of guilt and longing formed in her throat.

"Why is a rumor like that circulating?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"I dunno. Perhaps there are people from the Rain Duchy in the army. Or perhaps it's just a story someone told and spread. I wouldn't take it too seriously; Her Majesty is long dead and buried, and all we poor folks can do is remember her quietly."

"...You're right..." she said. _The dead don't come back to life, as much as I wish they could._

The others returned indoors after a while, but Talea stayed outside, staring intently at the distant battle. She was no soldier, and she'd never learned how to fight, even in self defense, because her father considered such things inappropriate for a noble lady to dabble in. The only thing she could do for Livi was hope and send him her prayers.

Not for the first time in her life, she wished she weren't so useless.

* * *

Bard hadn't seen Livi's son up close in quite some time. The boy was almost always under his mother's supervision, and after she was imprisoned, under Erika's. Bard rarely had anything to do with Talea in person, and Erika always ignored the child while she was working. He was genuinely surprised at how pale Cecil was when he quietly broke into the nursery to smuggle the boy out.

 _He looks white as a sheet_ , he noted, frowning at the tiny sleeping body. Cecil's face was unnaturally pale, his black hair and red lips contrasting powerfully against his skin. As Bard watched, the boy coughed, a terrible, hollow sound that seemed to reach deep into his lungs. Bard put a hand to his small forehead, checking for a temperature. He'd heard that Violetta had carried him to the doctor the day before, but they hadn't found anything wrong with him. Still, he couldn't get the thought out of his mind that Cecil looked very frail indeed, and that impression was only strengthened when he carefully lifted the boy up.

 _Gods, he doesn't weigh anything...! He's practically skin and bones! He wasn't like this when he first arrived in the castle, he was always full of energy..._

Bard faltered; if the boy was ill, he should take him to the doctor again. But if he did, the child would continue to be under Dainer's protection, and could be used against Livi. The last thing he wanted was to ruin Livi's chances of getting rid of the Earl, especially when Violetta had specifically asked him to take care of the boy. Against his better judgement, he decided he'd take the child to the doctor after everything was settled.

 _Hell, don't die on me, kid,_ he thought desperately as he carried Cecil out of the nursery. He had to find somewhere to hide, and quickly; there was no way he could get clear of the castle before someone spotted them.

* * *

Thena wasn't the type of child to cry in earnest. She was fond of using what her mother called "crocodile tears" when she wanted something, but she rarely cried real tears, even when she was genuinely sad. She'd always been the sort of child who expressed herself through anger and laughter, and her mother often assured her that this was because she had been a furious baby, full of dissatisfaction. Thena didn't know if that was true, but she could still count the times she'd cried on one hand.

She was therefore surprised when the tears started falling, after the spirit that looked like her told her she must never wake. The prospect of staying alone forever in the clearing, of never seeing her mother and father again, was so shocking that it sent a current of despair through her heart.

 _"_ Mama! I want my mama!" she wailed, falling to her knees. The other girl merely stared, then vanished, leaving Thena to her misery.

 _Mama! Save me mama!_

She cried and cried, until she remembered something her uncle had told her.

 _"If you don't behave, no one is going to help you when you're in trouble,"_ Kitra had warned. _"Bad children always get what they deserve, in the end."_

A terrible, childish thought occurred to her.

 _She won't come. I was bad, I never listened to mama... I was always being bad...! Mama won't come save a bad child...! Mama won't love a bad child anymore!_

That only made her cry louder, the tears falling thickly on her lap. She was too young to realize that Kitra had only been trying to frighten her into behaving.

"Mama... Daddy... I'm sorry! I'm sorry for being bad!"

"You not bad."

She looked up, startled. Cecil was standing over her, one arm wrapped around his toy while he pet her head gently.

"No cry, thister. Thena not bad."

"Ce- _Cecil?!"_ she hiccuped.

"Yesh."

"How-"

"Sweeping," he said simply, still stroking her hair.

"W-wait! You were sick, are you okay?!"

"Shick?"

"The blood," Thena said, pointing to her throat. Cecil shook his head.

"Dunno."

She bit the inside of her cheek. _He doesn't know; but he's gotta be really sick... he looks really white, even in the dream..._

"Where are you right now?" she asked, concerned.

"Sweeping in Sheshil's room," he said, blinking at her.

"Good, sleep lots, okay? I promise I'll find something to help you. I won't let Sheila hurt you," she said firmly.

"Grandma no hurt," he frowned. "Thena wrong." Even as he said it, he coughed slightly.

Thena pulled him down to her and hugged him, hard.

"I won't let you die, I promise," she said, shutting her eyes. "I'm your big sister, I'll help you no matter what. I'll escape from here and save you!"

"Thena-neecha..."

 _I don't know how, but I'll do something_ , she swore to herself. _Even if I can't leave here, I have to save him._

But deep in her heart, Thena was afraid. The only way to leave the dream was to somehow force herself to wake up, and if she managed it, she would be at the mercy of her own power. How could she hope to help Cecil when she couldn't even protect herself?

* * *

There were several hidden passages and rooms in the castle, but Bard ignored them in favor of something simpler. He couldn't be sure if Dainer or his men knew about the hidden rooms, and they did, those would be the first places checked when Cecil was found to be missing. Instead, he took the child and headed to the northern tower, where one of the lesser used libraries was located. It was out of the way enough that they probably wouldn't search it right away, and it wasn't a place a child could normally reach on their own either.

 _If we can just lie low until Livi arrives..._

It had taken him much of the morning to get the boy out of the nursery without anyone noticing. He'd had to hide in several closets and rooms to avoid being spotted by the servants or the few guards left on patrol and his nerves were so stretched to the limit that he'd been loudly startled a few times by approaching footsteps. He was amazed he hadn't been caught, but as he turned the corner into the northern corridor, his luck ran out.

"Lord Bardwin," came a cold voice from behind, and Bard froze, his heart pounding in his throat. "Put the boy down slowly and back away."

"Erika...?" he gulped as the woman circled around him, her hand clutching a pistol as naturally as if it were merely a quill. She looked different from usual; She had always dressed very neatly in the chamberlain's uniform, but there was something different about the way she carried herself. She no longer looked like a civil servant, concerned with budgets and letters and documents. Her dark eyes were calm, almost bored, but icy and distant. This was a cold blooded killer, a woman who followed orders of a different sort.

"You always did annoy me," she said, clicking her tongue. "Always bothering the female staff, always doing whatever you please. But most everyone idolizes you for some bizarre reason. I suppose good looks do count for something."

"Erika, what in the world-?!"

"Well, I do respect the hard work you've put in these last few years," she said dully. "But my master could care less for your presence. Luckily, my orders are only to retake the boy."

Before Bard could reply, she pulled the trigger. With a loud, echoing crack, a horrible, sharp pain struck his leg and he collapsed to the ground, still clutching Cecil.

"ARGH!"

"Sorry, Prime Minister. I'm afraid I'm just as much of a dog as you are," she said, kicking him aside lazily with her boot. She leaned down and picked up Cecil's small body, hoisting him over her shoulder. "Try not to die, milord; skilled civil servants are hard to come by in this day and age."

He heard her steps clacking away down the hallway, his vision blurred by pain.

 _That... bitch...! Goddammit..._

Just before he lost consciousness, he thought of Violetta; if he didn't die from blood loss before he was found, she would kill him for failing her again.

* * *

When the sound of battle eventually faded, Talea and the others nervously stood at the door of the inn, waiting for some kind of news to trickle its way through the city.

"What do you make of that horn, Lilian?" Rosalind asked quietly, her face white.

"Sounds like the retreat for our forces," Lilian said, her voice solemn. A bath and real meals had done the girl a world of good. Her complexion was less sallow already, her cheeks pink, and though she was unnaturally skinny, she didn't seem as frail. Her long black hair was no longer tangled and dirty, but instead tied up to keep it out of the way. It was easy to see that she was Violetta's sister now; her dark eyes gleamed with the same pride Talea had seen on the Captain's face many times over the years.

"What does that mean for us?" Talea asked, digging her nails into her palms.

"Dunno," Lilian said. "If my sis is right, I suppose it means His Majesty won."

"And if she's not?"

"Then it means the enemy won."

"We won't know which it is until the news starts to spread," Lilian's grandfather called from one of the tavern tables. "Nothing will come of worrying yourselves to death, come, let's eat."

Everyone except Talea headed back inside to join him.

"Miss Dainer?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Rootwick, but I have to go," she said suddenly. _If Livi is out there, I have to make sure he's safe. I should be by his side, if nothing else. I won't make the same mistake I made all those years ago at his wedding. I won't run anymore._

"Miss, you can't possibly-!" Rosalind began, but Talea shook her head.

"I'm tired of sitting around and waiting," she said, and Rosalind faltered.

"Miss, wait," Mr. Rootwick said, and the old man turned to his granddaughter. "Lilian, can you please go to Violetta's room and bring back one of her knives? There should still be some weapons lying around."

"Weapons? Dear gods no, I'm not going to fight!" Talea said immediately.

"I insist, you should at least have something to protect yourself with," he said firmly. "We know nothing of this invasion, for all we know, the soldiers have been ordered to pillage the city. I can't allow a young woman out on her own unless she's got something to fight with."

"I suppose..."

Lilian hurried off and was back almost immediately, carrying a small, sheathed blade.

"Here you go, Talea," she said, handing over the weapon and a cloak. Talea accepted them gingerly.

"Th-thank you..." she muttered. Though she had been carrying a knife in the palace for months, it still unnerved her that a weapon could be so small and light. She couldn't imagine using it now, but she nevertheless slipped it into her cloak pocket.

"Milady, I'll come with you," Rosalind said firmly.

"You don't have to-"

"I want to."

The two of them set out as soon as Rosalind pulled on her cloak and asked for a pistol; Talea had been surprised to hear that the young maid had been trained in their use, though it made sense that Lady Dainer would staff their home in Keilt with capable servants. Lord Syrene, Talea's maternal grandfather, had been a general in his youth and had instilled his sons and daughters with a firm tactical mindset. She could still remember the old man telling Laia off for playing tricks on a maid as a child. _Never antagonize your servants; their loyalty is your strongest weapon in times of need, and a household's final line of defense rests in their hands_ , he'd scolded. His teachings were likely what made Lady Dainer such an accomplished spy, and Talea never doubted that her mother, for all her loyalty to her husband, had ignored some of his more prejudiced orders concerning the household.

 _Not that I'm complaining,_ she thought as they hurried through the empty streets. _Mother has never protected Laia and me from Father's abuse, but I am at least thankful that she had the sense to hire help that would come in useful during our family's rise to power. Father would likely have had a fit if he knew we had maids trained in fighting._

Luckily, neither she nor Rosalind found any reason to use their weapons as they neared the gate. The soldiers they ran into were all busily clearing debris and bodies from the street, and none had time to spare for two young women wandering around, lost.

"What now, milady?" Rosalind asked, her voice a whisper. The street was worse than either had imagined; the smell of gunpowder and blood was so overpowering that it took all of Talea's strength not to give in to a building wave of nausea, and many buildings had been burned down, though whether on purpose or by accident, Talea couldn't say.

"We find Livi," she said, sounding more assured than she felt. "I suppose we start by asking..." She looked around and hurried over to the closest soldier. He wasn't wearing the Sun Kingdom's insignia, but she didn't care. "Excuse me, I'm looking for the Sun King... Have you seen him?" she asked, her voice betraying her anxiety. The man, a dark-skinned youth, shrugged.

"Dunno, haven't seen any of the high command for about an hour now. Been too busy clearin' the street," he said.

"Hey, Ahmad, we don't have time to be chatting up city girls," a woman called from nearby. Like her companion, she wasn't wearing the uniform of the Sun Kingdom's army, but her armor was markedly different from his. Where he was wearing yellow and simple mail under his tunic, she was clad in an elaborately designed breastplate. Lines swirled over the metal, evoking the image of waves and rivers.

"I'm not chattin' them up, they came to talk to me!" he complained, frowning at her.

"That's a miracle of a different sort," the woman snorted. She wiped her hands on her tunic and walked over toward them. "What's the problem?"

"They're lookin' for the Sun King," Ahmad said.

"Hmm? What do you want with His Majesty?" she frowned, giving Talea and Rosalind a good look. Talea knew that neither of them looked particularly impressive; they were wearing clothes they'd borrowed from the inn and weeks in prison had taken the edge off her noble bearing. To the soldiers, they probably looked like normal citizens.

"I need to speak with him," she said, but the soldier didn't look satisfied.

"His Majesty is busy," she said curtly.

"Then Captain Rootwick, if you could just tell me where she is-"

"Who?"

"The Captain of the Royal Guard," Talea explained, but the woman shook her head.

"Sorry miss, I don't know anyone from the Sun Kingdom's army. I only serve Princess Luna and Lord Fortis."

"Princess... Luna?! Of the Ocean Kingdom?!" Rosalind exclaimed in shock.

"The very same," the woman said proudly, straightening her posture. Talea could care less who was involved at this point; she just wanted to find Livi.

"Please, I need to speak with His Majesty immediately, it's very important," she pleaded.

"Well..."

"Oh for the gods' sake, Diana, just tell them already," Ahmad sighed. "They don't seem like a bad sort."

"Ahmad! Where's your loyalty?!"

"I'm not His Majesty's man," he huffed. "I belong to General Falaha, and I haven't forgotten we began this war _against_ the Sun King, even if he's on our side now." He turned to Talea and Rosalind. "Listen, I dunno where he is exactly, but if you head down the street, you'll probably come across him or one of the other generals eventually. Look for the banners with the suns and lions on them; the Sun soldiers probably have a better idea of where he is right now."

"Thank you," Talea said, bowing. She didn't wait for either of them to reply before she hurried away, Rosalind on her heels.

* * *

Nike winced as one of General Bayreuth's medical officers unwrapped the bandages from her shoulder and hissed.

"You fought with this wound, Your Majesty?!" the young man asked, his face appalled. She turned to look at the injury; it looked worse than she remembered, the skin red and inflamed, covered in blood, though thankfully not festering. Lanra had helped clean it out to prevent infection, but she hadn't been able to extract the bullet.

"I guess I did," Nike said, bemused. She hadn't really given it any attention since Kitra had died, but if someone else had been injured this badly, she likely wouldn't have allowed them to join the battle.

"Pay more attention to yourself, goddammit," Livi growled, smacking her head lightly. "You're a queen, act like it."

"Ow! I don't need you to tell me that," she muttered mutinously. They were seated just inside the wall, where several medical officers were tending to the wounded from both armies. Livi had insisted Nike get looked at when he finally found her helping the soldiers on the battlefield. Her bandages had been soaked through with blood at that point, and she had been starting to feel dizzy, though she hadn't realized it was a result of blood loss.

"Clearly I do, you were _this_ close to fainting," he sighed. "Three years and you're still a doctor's worst nightmare," he added as the officer dabbed a medicinal paste onto the wound and began to bandage it once more.

"I had a lot on my mind, okay?!"

"Hmph, you always were careless with your own safety. How you made it through a pregnancy is beyond me."

"That's rude," she huffed. "Besides, Neil was looking after me," she added in an undertone, but he must have heard because he laughed slightly.

"Well, whatever," he said. "At least you didn't get any more injuries." He turned to address one of his subordinates. "Any sign of the Queen's men yet?"

"Yes sir, they should be here shortly," the soldier saluted.

"Good, once they're taken care of, we can move on the castle," he muttered to himself.

"Livi!"

Nike was startled at the sound of her husband's nickname. Other than herself and Luna, very few people called the Sun King by his name without honorifics. But as she watched, a dark-haired woman detached herself from the crowd to speak with him. He looked surprised.

"T-Talea?! What are you doing here?!" he asked, clearly bewildered.

"Oh, thank the gods you're safe," she said, and Nike recognized the voice as belonging to her former courtier. She looked different than she had when Nike had last seen her, more solemn and worn. A feeling of sympathy went through her heart, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of jealousy along with it.

"I'm fine," he assured her, firmly putting his hands on her shoulders. "Where's Cecil?"

"I don't know, Captain Violetta said she would get him out," she said anxiously, but then her eyes flicked to the side and she seemed to finally notice Nike. Her face drained of all color.

"Princess..." she whispered, and before Nike could say anything, the young woman had shaken herself free of Livi's hold and thrown her arms around her former mistress.

"Huh?!" she asked, bewildered, but Talea merely began to sob.

"Princess Nike!" she cried, tears falling onto Nike's shirt. "I don't care if you're a specter, I don't care if I'm going insane! God, please, let me have this one moment!"

All the resentment Nike felt seemed to become less vivid. She remembered what Livi had told her, that Talea had been in love with her, and that she had tried to kill herself when she heard that Nike had died. Without thinking, she reached out to stroke that black hair, her heart aching for the young woman's collective suffering.

"I'm alive, Talea," she said softly. In her service, Talea never would have so much as touched Nike, yet here she was, sobbing her heart out into her shoulder, her hands clutching at her shirt like a drowning man at a rope. It was like consoling a child, and Nike thought, not for the first time in the last few years, that even at the age of twenty, or in Talea's case, nineteen, one was entirely too young to be a parent, much less worry about the state of a kingdom.

* * *

"Uncle, I've brought him."

"Excellent, give him here," Dainer said, accepting his grandson's sleeping form from Grey. He didn't give the child much thought; it was too late to worry about matters of succession. "What's the current situation?"

"As you feared, sir, it seems like the king was never a real hostage in the first place. He's taken control of General Bayreuth's forces and the battle is over. They will reach the castle in a matter of hours."

"We've lost, then," the Earl sighed, pressing a hand to his face. "That bloody child, I should have never let him go." All his scheming, all his careful planning, had been undone by a single mistake. He considered grabbing Ivette and escaping, but the idea of running now only fueled his hatred for Livius. He was not afraid of a child, and he would die before being called a coward by Leonidas' illegitimate son.

"It's too late for regrets, uncle," Grey said, her tone somewhat smug. Dainer bit back the reprimand on his tongue. _Little bitch, she's never liked being under my thumb. I daresay she's enjoying watching me fall._

"Perhaps not, but I still have Cecil, and while that's not enough to salvage the situation, I can at least make that bastard regret going against me," he said coldly. Grey blinked, but betrayed no other emotion. His niece had been very well trained.

"You'll die, uncle," she said without a single shred of concern. "They'll kill you as soon as the king falls."

"It doesn't matter. As long as I take that stupid child with me to hell, everything will have been worth it in the end."

"You're determined, then? To assassinate His Majesty?"

"It's the only option I have left." _The only way left to avenge Antonia._

"Very well. I will follow your orders to the end, Uncle, if only because you are the reason I am still alive today," she said grudgingly.

"Good. Go."

As Grey left the office, Dainer opened his desk drawer and pulled out the pistol he kept hidden for emergencies.

 _Finally, Leonidas. I'll finally rid this world of your cursed bastard._

* * *

Once Fortis and the others arrived, Livi began to prepare for the siege on the castle. He didn't expect much resistance; Violetta had brought the majority of the Royal Guard with her, and the only soldiers left in the palace were loyal Dainer men.

"Against the bulk of the army, most of them will likely run for it," he mused as he discussed the matter with her and Nike.

"Won't Dainer run too?" Nike asked, frowning. "They'll have gotten wind of what happened by now, he could be out of the city by now..."

"I asked Bayreuth to keep all the gates shut for that reason," Livi explained. "If he's run, we'll have the city searched. But if Bard failed to get Cecil out, he might try making a last stand." Violetta looked grim.

"I hope that idiot didn't mess this up," she muttered.

"If he has, we'll have to be extra careful. Dainer is cornered now; he might decide that Cecil is dispensable. You said he has an assassin on his payroll, right?"

"Yes. We never knew who it was, but everyone in the castle was aware he had someone working for him behind the scenes. I'm not completely sure, but when I freed my sister and Lady Talea from the dungeons, I heard that Lady Erika had given the order to imprison them in the first place. It's possible that she's the assassin."

"Erika?!" Nike asked, shocked. "But she was my aide!"

"Which makes her all the more suspicious, Nike-sama," Violetta said. "She would have been well placed to kill you at a moment's notice while you were being held hostage."

"I suppose..."

"Whoever it is, we'll need a force to search the castle for them. The last thing we need is to be sniped while retaking the royal palace," Livi instructed.

"I'll take a force of my best men and scour the area," Violetta said.

"If you catch them, don't kill them straightaway," Livi warned. "We may be able to get information out of them yet."

"Livi." All three of them turned to see Talea standing behind them, looking grave and determined. Rosalind was standing just behind her, her blue eyes filled with worry. "I want to go as well."

"That's not a good idea," he said immediately, shaking his head. "This is a military operation, Talea. It'll be dangerous."

"I know. That's why I have to go," she said, holding her ground. "If Father has Cecil... I have to do whatever I can to protect him."

He opened his mouth to argue, but Nike held out an arm to silence him.

"She has a right to come," she said, and he could tell by the look in her eyes that his wife was thinking about another child, fast asleep in her caretaker's arms. He gave Talea an appraising look and sighed.

"Very well."

 _'A mother will go to the ends of the earth and back to protect her child.' That saying has never seemed more apt than when I look at the mothers of both my children._

* * *

As it turned out, they didn't need to search the castle at all. Dainer was waiting for them in the courtyard, holding Cecil by the arm. The boy was awake, but he seemed to be in a sort of feverish daze. The only thing keeping him standing was his grandfather's grip.

"Cecil!" Dainer saw his own daughter step out from behind the small delegation made up of the king and his men.

 _I should have known. Traitorous bitch._

"Talea, stay back," a woman next to the king ordered. Dainer didn't immediately make the connection, but a second later he made a strange noise as he recognized the Sun Queen.

"So, the rumors were true," he said, glaring. "It seems my assassin took me more lightly than I thought." _I should have known better than to trust a woman._

"Lord Dainer," Princess Nike acknowledged coldly. She looked much the same as she had all those years ago. Still insolent, still an upstart clad in men's clothing, unworthy of the throne. The king ignored their exchange.

"Dainer, your twisted game is over. Release my son immediately," Livius commanded, his hand on the pommel of his sword.

"Ha, and be shot? I think not, Your Majesty," Evan scoffed. "It's true, I've lost. But at the very least, I'll have your head, Sun King." He pulled the pistol from his pocket and pressed it to Cecil's temple. The child didn't even seem to notice. "Order your men to back away!" he barked.

Talea cried out loud, but Dainer's full attention was on the king.

"You bastard!" Livius snarled. "He's just a child, your own grandson!"

"So? He only exists because I made it so. His life has always been mine," Dainer laughed. "I'm not playing games, Your Majesty. You have until the count of three to order them to stand down and come forward, unarmed." He clicked the safety off. "One...! Two...!"

"Stand down!" Livius said hastily, and his retinue immediately did as he asked. He pulled a pistol from his pocket slowly and tossed it aside, doing the same with his sword.

"Livi!" Princess Nike called, but Livius merely shook his head.

"Leave it, Nike," he said firmly.

"Father, don't do this!" Talea shouted. "You gain nothing from this, please, let Cecil go!"

"Silence, you ungrateful bitch!" he growled. "This is between His Majesty and myself." He nodded at the king. "Come forward slowly; any sudden movements and I kill the boy."

Livius gritted his teeth and stepped forward. His resemblance to Leonidas really was striking, and it would satisfy Evan to no end to see those stormy blue eyes silenced by his own hand this time.

Just before he reached them, a savage crack, like thunder, echoed through the courtyard, and Livius fell to his knees, groaning.

 _Well, say whatever you like, but Grey is still an expert shot,_ he thought, looking down at the king. He'd been shot in the leg, just as planned. Several people shouted in anger, but Dainer merely pressed the pistol to Cecil's head all the more firmly.

"Silence, or I kill His Majesty's child!" he barked. He saw Princess Nike order the men to stay back, though her face was pale and furious.

"Dainer, you bastard...!" Livius spat, glaring up at him.

"It really is much more agreeable when you have to look up to speak to me, Your Majesty," Dainer said, aiming a kick at his stomach. He groaned again, and Dainer pointed the pistol at his face. "I'll see you in hell, Livius Orvitas Ifriquiya."

It happened in a second. Cecil suddenly bit down on his hand, forcing him to let go, and in the moment of confusion threw himself over his father.

"Daddy!" he cried, and Dainer pulled the trigger.

* * *

As if in slow motion, Talea saw Cecil lunge toward Livi. She knew what would happen a moment before it did, and she screamed, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. Cecil fell, shot through the back, and her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. The world had ended, as far as she was concerned.

But she was still alive.

Without ceremony, she plunged her hand into Rosalind's pocket, seizing her pistol. Pure hatred and fury propelled her forward, clicking off the safety of the gun the same way she'd seen Livi do earlier. With a cold, precise motion, she aimed at her father, the man who had tortured her and kept her locked up for most of her life. She didn't hesitate to shoot. Once, twice, over and over until the gun clicked in silence. She was almost surprised to see Dainer falter, almost surprised to see him fall. She hadn't expected to actually hit him, but the fury in her veins was beyond control. She strode forward, clutching the dagger she'd been given in her hand, prepared to mutilate and shred, prepared to pay back every moment of suffering he had inflicted on her and her son. But something stopped her.

"Talea! That's enough! He's dead!"

She vaguely recognized Princess Nike's voice, but she didn't care.

"Let go! I'll kill him! _I'll kill him!"_ she shrieked, trying to pull away. But when she did, it wasn't Dainer that she made for. It was Cecil, his tiny body covered in blood, his beautiful brown eyes blank.

Trembling, she dropped the knife and stroked his hair. A horrible, keening sound echoed through the courtyard. It wasn't until Livi pulled himself toward them and shakily pressed his hand to the boy's cheek that she realized the sound was her own voice mingled with his, together expressing the boundless sorrow and grief at losing their second child.

* * *

Thena knew something was wrong when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching from beyond the trees. They weren't soft or light enough to belong to Cecil, nor were they quiet enough to belong to someone like Sheila. She watched, apprehensive, as a young man stepped from the wood.

He was much older than her, perhaps in his early teens. He was rather short, and his features were distinctly feminine. His hair was dark, almost black, and his eyes didn't seem to be able to decide if they were brown or gray. They looked different from one moment to the next. He gave her a sad smile.

"Hello again, sister."

She blinked at him, confused.

"Sis...ter?"

"I suppose you don't recognize me. I don't blame you," he said, looking down at his hands. "I'm not exactly the person you remember, not anymore." Something about his expression brought someone else to mind.

"Cecil?!"

"Sort of," he said, examining his fingers. "But I'm also Sheila. We're the same soul."

"Huh? Why?" she asked, completely at a loss. He chuckled.

"We always have been, since I was born. Or maybe I should say we've been becoming one soul all these years. I guess in death, we sort of melded together into an age somewhere in between."

"D-death?! No! You were alive just a little while ago! I saw you!" she cried.

"I died, protecting Father, just like Sheila meant us to," he said bitterly. "But I'm here because I, that is, the part of me that's Cecil, couldn't die knowing my sister was still trapped."

"No! I was supposed to save _you!_ I wasn't supposed to let you die!" she wailed, fresh tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

"Don't cry, sis," he said, kneeling down to stroke her hair just like he had when he was still in the body of a child. "Even if you had stopped me from saving Father, I still would have died very soon. My body was rejecting Sheila's soul."

"I don't _care_ about that! _I'm_ your big sister, I'm supposed to protect _you_!"

He laughed softly, his voice not unlike her mother's when she laughed. "Don't be so self-centered, Thena. It wasn't your fault, I promise."

She sniffled, her cheeks wet with tears. "What's going to happen to you now?"

"Good question," he said, looking around him. "I suppose I won't be able to reincarnate, not anymore."

"Because I'm still here?"

"Yeah. Cecil never really said it, but he wanted to get to know you, Thena. He was lonely, you see. Once he accepted that you were his older sister, he wanted to be friends with you. So when I died, I had a thought. I wanted to at least help you go home to your mother, even if I couldn't go back to mine."

He paused, looking at something beyond her. She wiped her eyes and turned to see her other self standing there, watching them quietly.

"Ah, I understand," he said suddenly, his eyes flashing back to gray. "That's why you're here, isn't it, Thena?"

"Yeah," she hiccuped. "She's my storm. If I wake up, she'll come back and I won't be able to stop her."

He nodded and stood up. He walked over to the other girl and offered her his hand.

"It's not much, but there are two souls in this body. If I give them to her, will she be able to regain control?" he asked.

The girl nodded. "If she accepts them, your strength should be enough to help her contain me. In exchange, I should be able to prevent her body from rejecting you. But only if she accepts from the bottom of her own soul."

Cecil, or Sheila, looked back at Thena, a small smile on his red lips.

"Well, sister? Will you let me help you?"

Thena didn't understand everything that was happening, but she knew she couldn't ask her brother to sacrifice himself for her sake. She ran up to him and pulled him away from the storm.

"No! Stop it! I don't need your help, I don't want you to get hurt!"

"Athene," he said, and this time his eyes became brown once more. "You're my only sister. When you said you would save me, it made me really happy. But it's my turn to protect you now."

"But you'll disappear!" she cried.

"I won't," he said. "I'll be right here," he pointed at her chest. "Just like Sheila was with me. You can speak to me whenever you like, I promise."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Is he lying?" she asked the storm stubbornly, and Cecil laughed.

"What, is my word not good enough for you?"

"I don't trust you," she huffed. "Sheila lied to me before, and you're probably trying to make me agree no matter what. Mama does stuff like that too."

"Good on you, Thena," he grinned slightly. "But I really am telling the truth."

The storm nodded in silent agreement.

"Then... I guess it's okay," Thena said softly. Cecil extended his hand to the storm once more. Their fingers touched, and a heavy rain began to fall. A strange light seemed to be filling the clearing, and Athene had to shield her eyes. Somewhere, she heard the sound of Cecil's voice, echoing oddly in her ears. "Oh, and Athene, don't tell my parents I'm still here," he said. "It will only make the pain worse."

When her eyes blinked open again and she found herself in Lanra's arms, the tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

* * *

Livi spent a long time deciding which flowers to pick. The blooms in the garden seemed much more subdued than he remembered, almost melancholy. It seemed like an eternity since he had last been here, yet it had only been a week ago that he'd stood in this same spot, choosing out the flowers to lay on Cecil's grave.

Somewhere in one of the other gardens, he heard Neil shouting at someone.

 _Probably Nike again,_ he thought. His wife was helping him take care of his work during the mourning period, a kindness Livi appreciated greatly. Still, she _was_ Nike, and though she was getting things done, she was doing it her own way, driving Neil insane as per usual. It was a nostalgic thought, and Livi almost smiled.

 _When she's officially reinstated, she'll probably have the castle turned on its head in days. She's been much more like her old self now that Thena is awake again._

Their daughter had somehow regained consciousness soon after they retook the palace, and to Nike and Kara's astonishment, she was hardly able to use her powers at all. After thoroughly examining her, Kara declared that she hadn't lost them, though she was going to have to learn how to summon them like a normal practitioner. Thena seemed rather upset to hear this, but she cheered up rather quickly, all things considered. Her claim to the throne was being reviewed by the Sun Priests, and there didn't seem anything to worry about as far as he abilities went. Since she'd woken up, she hadn't been able to read anyone's thoughts at all, and Nike commented that it was almost like the effect of a limiter, though they hadn't needed to replace the ones they'd removed.

"Perhaps when she's older she'll need them again, but for now I think everything's under control," she'd explained. Livi hoped it would stay that way.

He picked out several white lilies, carefully snapping the stems. He caught sight of some bright orange tulips out of the corner of his eye and made a mental note to pick some for Bard and Falaha. Luna and Fortis had left three days ago, after giving the rather shocking announcement that they were expecting a child, but Kara, Bard, and Falaha were staying in the palace to recover from their injuries. Bard had been found by Sororu before he bled too copiously, but he'd been confined to bed for at least two weeks. Falaha was almost recovered from her own wound, but Kara seemed to be hesitant to leave even though she wasn't badly hurt. Nike suspected that she was loathe to leave Thena behind, but Livi was sure it was Bard keeping her from going home. He'd walked in on them speaking a few times already, Kara peeling fruit for him at his bedside.

 _An odd pair, but I suppose I've seen stranger things,_ he thought. He counted the flowers he'd picked and, satisfied, he made his way down the garden path.

It was a beautiful day, clear and warm, but Livi still felt numb. He'd known the risk, known that Cecil was in danger, and had hoped to save the boy even at the cost of his own life. He would never admit to Nike that he was prepared to die that day, but that determination had meant nothing. Even though Violetta and her men managed to catch Erika before she escaped, they still failed to stop Cecil from dying. In the end, he'd been powerless to save his own son.

He hadn't slept well since that day, often waking in a cold sweat and trembling from the nightmares. There was an awful guilt in the pit of his stomach, a consuming self hatred that blamed him, that constantly told him he was a failure as a father. Whatever Dainer had done to him and Talea, Cecil was the only result of the plan that Livi had never regretted. From the day he was born, he had loved the child, had helped raise him. He wasn't sure he would ever recover from the pain of his loss, and he wasn't interested in trying; whatever grief he was feeling could only be a small fragment of the suffering Talea was going through.

She had closed herself off for two days, refusing to eat or leave her room. Livi feared she would try to kill herself like she had the time she'd heard about Nike's death, but Rosalind assured him she hadn't. The maid was the only person allowed into her mistress' room; Livi was turned away firmly every time.

Talea attended the funeral, however. She didn't cry as they lowered her child's body into his coffin and buried him. She watched without looking away, her eyes cold and empty. She came to speak to him when it was over.

"Livi, I'm going to the Ocean Kingdom with Princess Luna," she'd said, her voice dry.

"I thought you might," he said quietly, his heart aching as he stared at the mound of dirt over Cecil's grave. "I suppose you'll be going to see your sister."

"She's the only family I have left," she said. Lady Dainer had been arrested along with several of her servants and soldiers, and they were currently being interrogated along with Erika in the dungeons. "There might be something better for us Dainer girls away from Ginitarix."

"You've changed, Talea," he noted.

"I'm the same," she shook her head. "I just want to try living, for his sake," she said, and a single tear slid down her nose. He embraced her tightly.

"Good luck. You'll always be welcome in Ginitarix," he said. She smiled sadly.

"That's the last thing Nike-sama said to me before I left all those years ago. Be happy, Livi. I'll write you sometime. Thank you for being here for me through all of this."

"We went to hell and back together, Talea. That's a link that can never break. I was never in love with you, but I want you to know that I _do_ love you, in my own way."

She squeezed his hand. "I love you too. You are, after all, my dearest friend. I wish you and Princess Nike all the happiness in the world. Tell her... tell her I'll try to be free this time."

"I will."

She and Rosalind had left the next day in Luna's entourage. He wondered if he would ever see her again. In their years together, he'd thought of her as a sort of companion, and he hoped she'd find something bright in the Ocean Kingdom to support her. Somehow, he thought she would; the look in her eyes was different from the one he'd seen when she'd been at her lowest. It was different from the one she'd had when he first arrived in Keilt as well. She no longer looked like a passive survivor; there was a strong will to live in her expression now.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost didn't notice when he arrived at Cecil's grave. He came to an abrupt stop, staring blankly at the headstone in the courtyard.

 _Cecil._

He placed the flowers at the foot and sat in front of it, letting the wind tousle his clothes and hair. Several minutes of silence passed, unbroken by the sound of the wind moving through the trees.

"I thought I'd find you here."

He looked up, though he already knew who it was.

"Nike."

She placed a single violet on the grave and sat next to him.

"I should have done something," she said.

"There was nothing you could have done," he replied. "Even with Amefurashi, there are limits to what humans can do. The wind and rain can't stop a bullet."

She hugged her knees, staring at the white marble headstone.

"Even so, I keep going back, thinking that there must have been something to save him. Just like I thought for Kitra, and Mikia, and Sunya... But I guess that's pretty arrogant of me. I'm not a god, after all."

"Yeah..."

She didn't say anything else, just pressed her shoulder against his, lending him her warmth.

It was all he needed.

* * *

 **Notes:**

Welp, no one seems to have guessed correctly, but that's alright. I actually ended up being a bit less cruel than I originally intended. Just the epilogue left now before this masochistic thrill ride comes to a true end. Thanks for staying with me to this point!


	30. Epilogue - The Bonds of Ivory

_**Year 16 in the Reign of His Majesty, King Livius I**_

Athene heard her name, but she pretended not to hear. She kicked her feet lazily in the air, her back pressed to the trunk of the tree she had climbed.

 _"Say, sis, you really shouldn't make Lanra look for you like that."_

 _Hmph, she's only looking for me because Stephen is arriving today._

 _"Still, she's going to be stressed. She's just doing her job, you know."_

 _Don't care, I hate dressing up,_ she scoffed mentally. Cecil sighed.

 _"I know, but-"_

 _Besides, I hate Stephen. He's so annoying! He just follows me around everywhere._

 _"Well, he's only seven. You're the older one, shouldn't you be happy that a young kid likes you so much?"_

 _No, I overheard Uncle Bardwin talking to some maid yesterday; he said they're thinking of marrying me to Stephen when we're older, and there's no way in hell that's going to happen._

Cecil fell silent for a moment.

 _"If that's true, I pity the poor boy."_

 _Hey!_

 _"What? It's true."_

 _So? You didn't have to say it like that_ , she said, irritably tapping her knuckles against her knee. _I just don't wanna marry anyone, okay?!_

 _"Heh, sorry, I guess I hit a nerve. You always were fiercely independent."_

 _Mother says a princess has responsibilities she can't ignore, but I don't care. I'll be the first princess who won't get married. I can rule the Sun Kingdom all by myself!_

 _"If that's what you want, that's fine with me,"_ Cecil chuckled. _"If it makes you feel better, I also can't stand Stephen much."_

 _Right?! He's so NEEDY!_

 _"Ugh, yeah. And he never shuts up about all the things he owns, as if we weren't the heir to the largest empire in the world."_

 _What a braggart. And he's not even a real prince._

They laughed, but unfortunately Lanra found Thena by the sound of her voice.

"Princess! Get down here this instant!" she scolded, hands on her hips. "Prince Stephen is almost here and you're still running around in your chemise!"

"Ugh, fine," she muttered, getting into position to jump.

"NO, CLIMB DOWN LIKE A NORMAL CHILD, FOR GODS' SAKE!"

"This is faster!" she called, and leapt. She spoke a few words, asking the wind to cushion her fall. She landed on all fours, a bit like a cat, and Lanra gave her a smack to the head.

"For the last time, _stop doing such dangerous things!_ You're worse than the queen!" she scolded furiously.

"Ow! I can't help it, okay?! I'm her daughter, after all!"

"Keep it up and I'm going to tell Neil to increase your studies. If keeping you busy is what it takes to get you to behave, you'll be living in the library before you know it," Lanra threatened.

"Fine, fine," Thena huffed. "Let's get this over with then," she muttered.

 _"Huh."_

 _What?_

 _"Oh, nothing, I just thought you would argue more."_

 _Cecil, I'll kill you._

 _"Hah, good luck with that, I'm already dead, sis."_

 _You smug little-_

Sometimes Thena thought that Cecil rather reminded her of their father, though she would never admit it to him aloud.

* * *

Violetta was working as usual that morning when a knock at the door interrupted her report.

"Come in," she called, checking her writing for any mistakes. She looked up to see Bard open the door. "Oh, it's you," she said coldly.

"Ow, cold as always, Violetta," he winced. "Can't an old lover come visit from time to time?"

"No, not when I'm working. Besides, I'll tell Princess Kara you just said that," she warned. He gulped.

"I didn't mean to insinuate anything of the sort," he said hurriedly, waving his hands. "Actually, I came to ask a favor."

"What is it?"

"I need an escort to Fiore next week."

"Going to pick her up?"

"Yeah. She's coming to visit for a few months."

"I don't understand you two, why don't you just get married already?" she sighed, leafing through her documents as she searched for the roster of active guards. "It's so much more cumbersome for everyone involved when you travel back and forth all year long."

"We're not really the type to settle down, I suppose," he shrugged. "There's no pressure to get married when you're not in line for the throne. Athene is succeeding Livi, and Kara is only the third princess. I'm fine with this lifestyle, and traveling suits Kara-chan. That's all there is to it."

"If you say so," Violetta said, stifling a yawn. "Let's see... I've got a few people free next week. Will Garta Bayreuth do?"

"Oh, I dunno, I was kind of hoping you could assign that pretty girl, you know, the one with the- OW!" She'd thrown a book at him.

"How Kara-sama puts up with you is beyond me," she growled. "Garta it is."

* * *

 _Dear Nike,_

 _How are you? I hear the weather in Ginitarix has been very pleasant this year. I suppose that means you and Livi haven't been arguing too much? I hope that's true, though if you ever do get fed up with being Queen of the Sun Kingdom, my offer from all those years ago still stands. I'll demote Claude to my concubine in a heartbeat if you'd rather come live with me. He's driving me insane, he keeps coddling Stephen to death, and I'm afraid the boy's head will explode if it gets any bigger. I see now why you were always so stressed with Princess Athene; children are already so difficult to deal with, the last thing we need is husbands who have no idea how to keep them in line._

 _Speaking of Stephen, he should be arriving any day now. I tried to tell him to behave, but I will be entirely surprised if he comes back without a single bruise from your daughter. I really don't think arranging a marriage between them is ever going to work. They're both too proud to put up with one another, and I think Stephen is actually afraid of Athene. He keeps bringing up something about a snake from her last visit here; I think she may have put one in his bed. Knowing him, he probably deserved it, but still, keep an eye out, won't you? I'd rather not have to see him come back in tears. He's such a pain when he throws a tantrum._

 _Everything is quiet as usual in Fortis, even the pirates have been laying low. Claude and I will visit for the holidays as usual, so I'll be seeing you soon. Take care, and send Livi and Athene my regards._

 _Yours,_

 _Amaluna Luirasalle, First Princess of the Ocean Kingdom and Marchioness of Fortis_

* * *

Neil yawned, stretching his arms over his head as he finished reading through a contract.

"Finished already?"

Lanra looked in through his office door, her hand on the frame. She looked a lot younger than she actually was; even with her stressful job as Nike's maid and Princess Athene's caretaker, she never seemed to age from it. Neil suspected it was because though she loved to complain, she loved her work, and she enjoyed herself more than she ought to as the queen's retainer.

"Just about," he replied, dipping his quill into his ink bottle. He signed his name with a flourish. "Thankfully, there isn't much to go through today. And you? Where's the princess?"

"Bullying Prince Stephen, I'm sure," she gave a noncommittal shrug. "The less I know about it, the better."

"Devious," he snorted.

"It comes from being married to the spymaster," she grinned.

"Head Chamberlain, for the _last time, Lanra!_ I'm the HEAD CHAMBERLAIN!"

"Whatever you say, Neil. But it doesn't change the fact that your job is still to know more than you should around here."

"Ugh, the princess is really beginning to rub off on you," he sighed.

"You think so? I think I've always been this way," she winked and walked away. "It's your own fault for marrying me!" she called down the hall.

 _Bloody hell, she has a point_.

* * *

 _Dear Nike,_

 _Thank you so much for the aid you've been sending; we're really making strides to combat the drought. Prince Irada says that we may soon be able to relocate all of the oasis' populations, and the aqueduct the Sun King began building is finally nearly complete. People seem livelier nowadays, and it's all thanks to you and the king. You have my heartfelt gratitude, and the Prince's as well._

 _How are things in Ginitarix? It's been ages since you've visited us, and we'd love to have you. Though, please leave your spitfire demon at home, I'd rather not have to murder any of my guests. I hope you've finally managed to get her to stay still for longer than a minute; every time I see her I'm reminded to be thankful that I don't have kids. I feel sorry for you. Seriously._

 _Anyway, send me a letter with your reply; I'll be waiting to see you, there's plenty of places in the Sand Empire you've yet to visit. Address it to Commander Falaha, I've been promoted._

 _Love,_

 _Falaha, Commander in Chief of the Sand Empire's Armed Forces_

* * *

The wind was cool and sweet, rolling across the plains in waves. Talea watched the grass rise and fall, her hand pressed to her cheek in quiet contemplation.

"You look pensive, Talea."

Rosalind came to a stop at her side, brushing her skirt gently with her hands. Her long red hair whipped in the wind, her blue eyes warm as she gave Talea a small smile.

"Oh, it's nothing," she said, indicating that Rosalind should sit next to her. "I was just thinking about the plains outside Ginitarix."

"Is that so?" Rosalind replied, staring out at the vast grassland. "I think there are more flowers in these plains," she said after a moment.

"Perhaps you're right. The climate here is much cooler than back home, after all."

"That's the Cloud Kingdom for you."

"It's a lovely place. And well named," Talea noted, looking up at the sky. Huge, white clouds, like thick wads of cotton floated above, obscuring the sun for long moments at a time. She leaned back until she was lying on her back and spread her arms wide.

"What are you doing?" Rosalind giggled.

"Just relaxing," Talea smiled. "It feels nice, try it."

"If you insist." She joined Talea, lying with her feet pointing in the opposite direction.

"Cecil would have loved this place," she said quietly. Her hand twitched toward her bag, where she'd taken to carrying the small plush animal he'd always had with him.

"Yes, he would have," Rosalind replied softly. "He always did love nature; it was such a shame he rarely got to play in it."

"Mmm." She closed her eyes, breathing in the smell of the grass. "I'll be sad to leave," she said.

"We can always come back. Didn't you say you wanted to see the Forest Kingdom before we visited the Sun Kingdom again?"

"That's true. It seems we never run out of places to see," Talea said.

"The world is vast. I don't think we could see all of it even if we traveled for the rest of our lives." Rosalind turned over and propped herself up on her arms.

"That sounds lovely, Rose," Talea replied, looking up at those icy blue eyes.

"What part?" Rosalind teased.

"Traveling for the rest of our lives."

"I thought that was the plan."

"It is," Talea said. Rosalind leaned in to kiss her, and for a moment, she couldn't hear anything but the sound of the wind roaring in her ears.

* * *

Livi headed to bed much later than usual. There was a dispute among several of the northern nobles concerning a lake and he'd been wracking his brains trying to come up with a solution that would, at the very least, leave everyone equally disgruntled with the outcome.

 _Gods, I'll never get used to nobles squabbling over every stupid little thing_ , he thought angrily, turning the knob to his bedroom. To his surprise, it was locked.

"Nike, please open the door," he called, too tired to argue.

"No," came her muffled reply. He groaned.

"Nike, I'm exhausted. I've been dealing with these bloody nobles all evening. If you don't open up, I'll have to sleep in the hallway. Don't tell me you're still mad about that thing this morning?"

"You tell me, you jerk," she replied.

"Come on, it was a joke," he yawned. "Of course I'd never tell Thena you aren't her real mother, what kind of crazy person do you think I am? I like being alive," he said.

"It wasn't funny."

"Okay, look, I'm sorry. Really. Open up?"

"No."

"I'll let you dress me up in whatever you want tomorrow," he offered.

"Not good enough."

"What?! Who would throw away a chance like that?! You could put me in a skirt! A dress! I may not be small anymore but I bet I'd still be way more beautiful than most of the court ladies!" he argued in mock outrage.

He heard a laugh on the other side of the door.

"Only if you wear my highest pair of heels."

"Deal."

A moment later, she opened the door.

"You're still a jerk, though," she said, her robe pulled over her chemise. She stood aside to let him in.

"I'll accept that," he yawned loudly. "It was a pretty bad joke, I guess."

"Hmph," she said, closing the door behind him. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Sorry, you're just too much fun to tease," he grinned.

"Ugh, I want a divorce," she muttered, pushing him away, though she hardly put any force in it.

"You always say that, but you're still here," he pointed out.

"Beats me why," she huffed. "You're insufferable."

"Hmm, I wonder," he said slowly, reaching to kiss the nape of her neck. She made a high pitched noise.

"S-stop that!" she complained, but a second later she laughed as he blew into her ear. "Ah! No, stop, that tickles!"

"You're adorable, Nike," he grinned, and a moment later he bent to pick her up, carrying her to the bed.

"Put me down, you bloody tyrant!" she ordered. He did as she asked, dropping her unceremoniously on the mattress. "Goddammit Livi!" she cried, her hair half-covering her face. He laughed.

"Sorry, couldn't help myself," he chuckled, reaching to tuck the flyaway hair behind her ear. He kissed her, and when he pulled away, she pinched his cheek and pulled, hard.

"You're just as much of a brat as you were as a kid," she scolded, but there was a hint of laughter in her voice. "Look you, there are better ways to ask for a kiss, especially the ones that actually involve _asking_."

"Would you have given me one if I asked?"

"Depends."

"Okay, then can I have a kiss?"

"No," she said, and she pulled him down by the collar of his shirt.

* * *

As promised, she didn't kiss his lips. Instead, she kissed his neck and his shoulders, running her hands down his chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, hiding her flushed face in his shoulder as he nuzzled the side of her neck. He slipped off her chemise at some point, pulling her body against his, the warmth seeping through her skin and to her core. His fingers trailed down her back gently, eliciting a series of shivers that traveled through her spine. In response, she left a mark on his neck.

"Can I have one now?" he asked, his voice breathless and deep.

"I've already given you several," she said seriously.

"You know what I mean, Nike."

She did. She leaned down to kiss him, and his arms wrapped around her waist tightly, holding her in place.

"Nike," he repeated, pressing his hand to her cheek. There was an almost austere expression on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Can't I just say your name because I like the sound of it?"

"No. There's something you should probably be saying with it," she said, pretending to be annoyed.

"What's that?"

"I love you."

"That goes without saying, dear wife," he chuckled. "But if you want to hear it, princess, I'll gladly say it as many times as you need to hear." He kissed her lips. "I love you." He moved on to her throat, her shoulders, each gentle kiss punctuated by the same three words.

She blushed despite herself, and kissed his cheek. "I love you too, Livi. And... there's something else."

"Hmm?"

She leaned to whisper in his ear. He blinked, then groaned, clapping his hand to his face.

"You couldn't have told me that _before_ I got undressed?!" he cried.

"Sorry, you're just too much fun to tease," she grinned triumphantly. "Better hurry, I'm pretty sure they need your signature before midnight."

He grabbed his shirt and began to button it up, muttering to himself as he did. She did nothing to help.

"This is payback for the joke, isn't it?" he asked, wincing.

"Yep."

"In that case..."

He leaned in, kissing her fiercely. She was taken aback, and he deepened it, though it didn't take long for her to respond in kind. When he pulled away, she was breathing hard, her chest heaving. He gave her one of his lascivious smiles and licked his lips.

"I'll leave you that to mull over while I'm gone," he smirked, and he threw his cloak over his shoulders. As he strode through the door, she came back to her senses.

"Dammit, Livi!" she cried, burying her face in her hands out of sheer embarrassment and desire.

She thought she heard him snigger as he closed the door behind him.

 _ **Fin**_

* * *

 **Notes:**

Wow I can't believe I wrote over 130,000 words of pure drama. I truly am shoujo trash. Anyway, thank you for reading this fic! It's very unpolished, I know, but this is a story I've always wanted to write. I really enjoyed writing it, though I know the drama was probably a bit much from time to time. A few fun things to wrap up this long serialization:

\- Thena and Cecil argue a lot, but they're always looking out for each other. As promised, Thena never tells her parents that she's possessed.

\- Nike refuses to sleep with Livi for five whole years after the whole fiasco. She meant it when she said he wouldn't touch her for a long time.

\- Lanra proposed to Neil. She has him wrapped around her little finger.

\- Talea returns to Ginitarix once a year to pay respects to Cecil's grave and catch up with Livi and Nike. She's happy with Rosalind now, though neither she nor Livi ever forget about Cecil.

\- Stephen is a total brat, but Thena is equally terrible to him, so it cancels out. They don't end up together.

There's probably a few more, and I may write a side story for grown-up Thena someday. But for now, that's it! Thanks so much for your support, I hope you enjoyed this story and that you'll look forward to my other works.

-Kairi


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